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At a time when climate anxiety and biodiversity loss dominate the global conversation, IIASA had the honor of hosting Emmanuel de Merode, Director of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for a lecture that was as sobering as it was inspiring.

A new special issue of the Elsevier journal, Environmental Development, highlights pioneering research addressing the continent's most pressing environmental and development challenges. The issue is the result of an ongoing collaboration between IIASA and a growing network of African and international research partners, including the IIASA Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Member Organization (SSARMO).

IIASA, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters are co-organizing a parallel session at the Scientific Advice Mechanism to the European Commission Conference that explores how to effectively reconcile global coordination with national priorities in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber will be a keynote speaker and panelist at the upcoming International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture, and Urbanism (INTBAU) Qatar Conference which will take place during the Earthna Summit 2025.

Version 5 of the Global Agro-Ecological Zoning (GAEZ) tool will be launched on 14 April 2025, as part of the 80^th Anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The event will also celebrate and renew the enduring partnership between IIASA and the FAO through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organizations.

IIASA, together with the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and the European Academies' Science Advisory Council (EASAC), will host a side event at the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) to the European Commission Conference 2025. This event will explore the expanding role of collaborative frameworks in shaping evidence-based policies, with contributions from esteemed experts in government and leading research institutions.

IIASA is honored to welcome our distinguished guests from Virunga National Park, Emmanuel de Merode and Gaia de Battista, for a special public lecture on the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor. This hybrid event offers a rare opportunity to hear firsthand about groundbreaking conservation efforts in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.

Clean air is essential for health, yet many people, especially in low- and middle-income countries, breathe polluted air every day. IIASA researchers contributed advanced modeling tools and analyses to assess the feasibility and affordability of halving global exposure to high levels of outdoor air pollution by 2040 in a new World Bank Report.

Join us for an insightful webinar exploring how Political Economy Analysis (PEA) can help tackle governance challenges in conservation and improve strategic planning.

Join AIMES, the Earth Commission, Future Earth, and the WCRP’s Safe Landing Climates Lighthouse Activity for a webinar exploring the latest scientific insights on Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) tipping points and their profound policy implications. This discussion will bring together experts to examine how science and policy can work together to address these emerging risks and enhance global preparedness.

A new report released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), highlights the urgent need for integrated policies to address air pollution and climate change across Southeast Asia. IIASA researchers contributed as authors of the first chapter, laying the foundation for science-based policy action.

On 19 March 2025, IIASA hosted a virtual workshop with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Innovation and Technology and the National Research Foundation of South Africa. The event explored research and innovation opportunities to support Ethiopia’s strategic development goals, focusing on areas such as climate change, food security, and sustainable energy.

In a world where sustainable development and climate change solutions demand urgent action, ensuring that policies are informed by solid evidence is essential. The North Africa Applied Systems Analysis Centre (NAASAC) in Egypt has made this its mission, aiming to build a systemic culture of applied systems analysis for evidence-based policy development.

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber will be a featured speaker at The Climate Reality Project’s REALITY® Tour: Paris. As a world-renowned climate scientist, sustainability advocate, and founder of Bauhaus Erde, Schellnhuber will participate in a live Q&A panel to address pressing climate science questions.

Join AIMES, the Earth Commission, Future Earth, and the WCRP's Safe Landing Climates Lighthouse Activity for a webinar exploring the potential impacts of an Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) tipping event on Europe’s climate. In this webinar, experts will explore the AMOC tipping mechanisms under an idealized freshwater flux forcing and different climate change scenarios. 

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming First International Timber Construction Symposium. The event will address the urgent challenges in urban development, housing markets, and climate protection under the theme, Building with Timber: Climate-friendly, affordable, and future-proof.

Dr. h.c. Johan Kuylenstierna, IIASA Council member representing Sweden, has been awarded the H.M. The King's Medal (12th size, bright blue ribbon) in recognition of his significant contributions to sustainability and global environmental efforts.

A high-level delegation from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) visited IIASA for the second meeting of the IIASA-OECD Task Force focusing on systems thinking, anticipation, and resilience.

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber will be a speaker at the upcoming consultation, Big Ideas Have Changed the World: Universal Fraternity as a Path Forward. This unique event brings together global thought leaders to explore how the concept of universal fraternity can address today’s interconnected crises—from environmental degradation to socio-political fragmentation.

On Monday, 27 January, IIASA Deputy Director General, Karen Lips, will be one of the speakers at a parallel session on the changing context for science diplomacy during the The Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue, which takes place from 26–28 January in Muskat, Oman. This segment of the International Science Council (ISC) General Assembly focuses on science and is open to a wider public. Following this event, she will represent IIASA at the Third ISC General Assembly on 29 and 30 January, which is the premier occasion for ISC members and affiliated bodies, fellows, and partners from all domains of science and regions of the world to meet for cross-disciplinary, strategic discussions on challenges and priorities for international cooperation in science.