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IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program Director, Keywan Riahi, will deliver a public lecture at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the National Member Organization representing Austria at IIASA, as part of their Mathematical and Natural Sciences Division's session. 

In an era of information overload and rapidly evolving media landscapes, science journalism plays a crucial role in helping audiences understand complex global challenges. IIASA is pleased to join ISTA and the Complexity Science Hub for a panel discussion exploring how journalists and communicators can uphold accuracy, context, and trust in science reporting.

From 11–13 June 2026, the alpine town of Heiligenblut am Großglockner, Austria, will once again become a meeting point for forward-looking dialogue on sustainability, climate resilience, and the future of society during the 9th FORUM ANTHROPOZÄN. Audiences from around the world will also be able to join the opening keynote by IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber online via livestream.  

Join us for an engaging event at the Natural History Museum in Vienna to explore how we can define environmental limits and inspire meaningful climate action. IIASA researchers will contribute insights through the Tree Quest citizen science initiative, showcasing innovative approaches to mapping forest carbon across Europe. The program combines scientific perspectives with interactive discussions on how especially young people can help shape a more sustainable future.

IIASA researchers invite visitors to explore some of the most pressing challenges of our time - from climate change and clean energy to global water security. Through interactive formats and hands-on activities, participants can discover how science helps us better understand complex systems and identify solutions. IIASA will be present at two locations: in Vienna at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and in Lower Austria at Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA).

IIASA researchers will contribute to the 26th Austrian Climate Day taking place in Vienna from 8 to 10 April 2026. Organized by the Climate Change Centre Austria (CCCA), the event brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to exchange knowledge and foster collaboration. This year's theme, Building bridges: from knowledge to transformation, focuses on strengthening links between science, policy, and implementation.

IIASA Integrated Climate Impacts Research Group Leader, Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, will be the speaker at the upcoming 5vor12 Briefing by the Network for Climate Journalism Austria on one of the most pressing developments in climate science: climate overshoot.

On Thursday, 26 March, IIASA hosts a group of young minds from the Keimgasse High School in Mödling to connect "systems thinking" with an all time favourite, chocolate.

The International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (IVECF) 2026 will take place over two days from 9-10 April 2026, at the historic Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. Co-organized by UNIDO, the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria, the Austrian Development Agency, and IIASA, in cooperation with other Vienna-based international organizations and partners, the IVECF 2026 will convene global leaders from  governments, international organizations, industry, academia, development partners and civil society, under the theme “Powering Prosperity, Security and Stability”.

IIASA Deputy Director General, Karen Lips, will participate in the First Ukrainian–European Science Diplomacy Forum that will take place in Vienna on Thursday, 12 March 2026. The event will bring together senior representatives from European and Ukrainian ministries, the European Commission, UNESCO, international research organizations, funding bodies, leading universities, and Ukrainian science diaspora networks.

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber and Agriculture, Forestry, and Ecosystem Services Research Group Leader, Florian Kraxner will participate in the upcoming Global Summit on Advancing Sustainable Forest-based Bioeconomy Approaches, bringing leading systems and climate science perspectives to the international dialogue. Their participation highlights the Institute’s commitment to advancing evidence-based pathways toward a sustainable, forest-based bioeconomy.

IIASA researchers will participate in the European Geosciences Union (EGU) 2026 conference presenting research on climate change, risk and resilience, energy, citizen science, and more. We invite you to visit the IIASA booth in Hall X2, next to the coffee area. Take the opportunity to connect with our experts and learn more about our research and initiatives.

The Vienna Soil Dialogue, co-organized by IIASA, FAS Research, AGRANA, and Raiffeisen, positions soil as strategic infrastructure – the living foundation of Europe’s food system, economic autonomy, and climate resilience. By connecting science, policy, and practice, the conference seeks to accelerate the implementation of the Soil Strategy 2030 and establish soil health as a unifying force for Europe’s sovereignty and sustainability.

Starting on 15 January 2026 and running for two weeks, the traveling exhibition "Climate and Me" will be on display in Laxenburg, offering the public a chance to engage with new perspectives on climate action. The opening event features a keynote by IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber, whose insights highlight the Institute’s leadership in shaping a sustainable future.

On Wednesday, 10 December, IIASA will host a class from the Vienna Sir Karl Popper school for a half-day workshop to explore systems thinking through the life cycle analysis of a chocolate bar.

End to Begin, a multidisciplinary theater play by IIASA alumna Gloria Benedikt, which addresses the state and future of the planet and how humans live on it, is returning to the Odeon Theater in Vienna from 26-29 January 2026 for a series of public and school performances.

Co-organized by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and IIASA, this event marks the Austrian launch of the Human Development Report 2025 "A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI" with a keynote presentation by Yanchun Zhang, the UNDP Chief Statistician, followed by a dialogue session that will examine the transformative societal impact and implications for human agency stemming from the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber will be the keynote speaker at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' fifth webinar in a dynamic series focused on developing a resilient and sustainable forest-based bioeconomy. This session will explore how sustainable wood construction can serve as a nature-based solution to address multiple challenges - from the global housing crisis to climate change mitigation.

The Austria Fire Futures (AFF) Final Stakeholder Workshop brings together invited experts and practitioners, including forest owners, forest management, tourism organizations, local administrations, the respective federal ministries, relevant industry sectors, NGOs, science, and media, to discuss wildfire risks, updated ignition models, and new fire danger maps for Austria. The Final Stakeholder Meeting, organized by IIASA's AFE group, focuses on turning scientific insights into practical fire management and adaptation strategies.

The IIASA Climate Champions initiative is entering its second year with the first workshop taking place on 7 October, focusing on climate change, climate resilience, and climate justice. More than 35 students from Vienna and Lower Austria will participate.