The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2023 kicked off at the UN Headquarters in New York this week. IIASA is involved in several capacities at this international conference to support policymakers in countries around the world with science-based inputs to help them develop effective policies to address the interconnected global challenges and opportunities society faces today.
Dmitry Erokhin, a researcher at IIASA, presents a study on climate discussion on Twitter at a pre-conference organized by IAMCR. Analyzing over 250,000 tweets, the study reveals dominant topics and sentiments surrounding climate change. While concerns and calls for action prevail, the study also uncovers significant misinformation alleging climate change as a hoax. Erokhin emphasizes the need for targeted information campaigns to counter these narratives. The findings hold crucial importance for policymakers navigating the social media landscape.
Registrations are open for the newly established International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum, which will take place for the first time on 2 and 3 November 2023 at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. It will bring together high-level representatives from member states, international organizations, business, and science including youth representatives and more than 1,000 international experts to discuss best practices and present solutions to tackle climate change and achieve a green energy transition.
The unequal distribution of wildfire risk in our society is influenced by various factors, such as social vulnerabilities and intersecting forms of inequality, including gender, age, ethnicity, or disability. A new article calls for more integrated and inclusive wildfire risk management approaches and proposes a novel framework mapping different justice aspects.
IIASA research informed the recently announced Final Renewable Fuels Standards Rule by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding biofuel volume requirements and percentage standards for 2023–2025. The rule establishes biofuel volume requirements and associated percentage standards in view of steady growth of biofuel use in the US's fuel supply and aims to ensure a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy future.
Influencing science policy and its outcomes continues to pose many challenges for scientists. In his recent half-day workshop at IIASA, acclaimed policy expert, incoming president of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and inaugural Peter de Jánosi Visiting Fellow at IIASA, Adil Najam, engaged participants of the 2023 IIASA Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) in a lively discussion and simulation on negotiating science policy.
IIASA, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) have joined forces to conduct a survey among world experts in demography to better understand the future of the world population and its impact on various global trends.
Martin Jung, a researcher in the Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation Research Group of the IIASA Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program has received the Society for Conservation Biology’s 2023 European Early Career Conservation Award for his outstanding contributions to conservation science.