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People in informal settlements, urban deprived areas, refugee camps, prisons, and war zones can be particularly vulnerable to climate threats and natural hazards. A new study, led by IIASA researchers, explores how policymakers can ease their burden.

In a new study, IIASA scientists show that a mix of policy measures, including both technological solutions and behavioral changes, can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy use in buildings and transport.

A new IIASA study shows why gender equality trends should be central when planning how societies adapt to and mitigate climate change. A society where women have little access to decision-making or finance or have less education, will be ill-equipped to find and implement solutions, ranging from concrete measures like irrigation or crop rotation, to behavior shifts and engineering the energy transition. We need to ask the “what-if” questions related to progress towards equality or deterioration of inequality. One thing is clear: gender inequality will have a high price if neglected.

Renowned climate expert Hans Joachim Schellnhuber talks about climate policy, wind power, and what really scares him. 

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber, on politicians who deny climate change, the climate target and the target and the wildfires in California.

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber in an interview with Joachim Laukenmann and Martin Läubli.

Citizen science and artificial intelligence (AI) offer immense potential for tackling urgent sustainability challenges, from health to climate change. Combined, they offer innovative solutions to accelerate progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). IIASA researchers explored the synergies between citizen science and AI, specifically highlighting how the integration of citizen science data and approaches into AI can enhance sustainable development monitoring and achievement while mitigating AI risks.

As global demand for raw materials intensifies due to the material needs of digitalization and decarbonization, the new MINE-THE-GAP project aims to address a critical knowledge gap in mining's environmental and social impacts by creating scalable, reliable mining indicators using advanced satellite data and artificial intelligence (AI).

With 2024 on track to be declared the hottest on record, scientists from IIASA and Columbia University have noticed that specific regions are consistently more affected by extreme temperatures. A new study provides the first worldwide map of these regional climate danger zones.

IIASA Director General, Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber, was among the distinguished guests at an event hosted by King Charles III to celebrate the launch of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA). Amid the serious discussions around the the initiative's mission to champion a nature-first economy, the two old friends shared a lighter moment, promising to stay in touch.

New research reveals a strong link between higher female education and lower fertility rates in sub-Saharan Africa. Educated women are driving a shift toward smaller families and even influencing less educated peers. This new forecasting model offers policymakers valuable insights into how women's education shapes population trends, aiding sustainable development efforts.

Sustainable lifestyles, green-tech innovation, and government-led transformation each offer promising routes to make significant progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), to which IIASA scientists contributed. Contrary to the belief that the path to sustainable development is increasingly out of reach, the results show that humankind has a variety of pathways to depart from its current unsustainable trajectory.

Governments worldwide must urgently commit to reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2030 and 57% by 2035 in their next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to avoid surpassing the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C global warming target, warns a new report released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) today.

Following his keynote address at the Austrian Wind Energy Association (AWES), IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber spoke to the industry magazine Windenergie about why we need to step up current climate policy and what climate protection has to do with patriotism.

Heat-related deaths and diseases are a major concern in Europe amid increasing extended periods of extreme heat. A new study proposes a novel way of quantifying and projecting future vulnerability to heat stress in different areas of a city, providing local decision makers with knowledge for designing more effective adaptation strategies to minimize health impacts of heat stress.

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber talked to Deutschlandfunk about achieving more climate protection with positive narratives.

The food system is one of the most significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet, making the reduction of emissions in this sector a priority for policymakers around the world. IIASA researchers explored the potential of carbon sequestration on farmland to combat climate change, offering insights into economic effects as well as its climate change mitigation potential.

IIASA researchers contributed to a new study showing that to sustain even a basic standard of living for everyone, we need to dramatically change our economic systems and technologies. The research highlights the need to fairly manage, use, and share critical resources to ensure both people and the planet can thrive.

IIASA is a longstanding member of the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance, which will now be known as the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance to address a broader range of climate hazards including floods, heatwaves, and wildfires, and work towards systemic change. This shift reflects the growing urgency to enhance climate resilience in communities around the world as climate-induced disasters become more frequent and severe.

In recent decades, fertility rates in high-income countries have steadily declined. A new study analyzed demographic trends, patterns, determinants, and consequences. The authors emphasize that despite the significant economic challenges posed by low fertility, a strategic and consistent policy response can effectively mitigate most adverse consequences.