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Freshwater ecosystems are under growing pressure worldwide, but conservation resources are limited. A framework developed by IIASA researchers and partners can help identify where conservation could prevent biodiversity loss and where restoration efforts are likely to have the greatest ecological impact across the United States and Europe.

The Epistem initiative launches Luma – Land Use Mapping for All at a national workshop in Indonesia on collaborative land use and land cover mapping in Indonesia.

Effective sustainable landscape management depends on spatial data that is both high-quality and accessible. To address this need, the Epistem initiative launched Luma (Land Use Mapping for All), a participatory web-based mapping platform, at a national workshop in Jakarta on 20 May 2026.

Students from Lower Austria and Vienna were recognized for their commitment to climate action and received their certificates at IIASA in Laxenburg.

H.E. Ambassador Shambhu S. Kumaran, India's Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna, recently visited IIASA to explore deeper research cooperation and meet the Institute's Indian Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) cohort.

Tree-Quest is a citizen science mobile tool that enables users to measure aboveground biomass related attributes (tree diameter, height and species) and estimate carbon stored in trees while contributing data for forest and urban tree mapping, supporting research on biomass and carbon storage. Engaged citizens can measure nearby trees in their local surroundings, such as parks and along the streets in urban areas, integrating science into their daily routines. This helps generate valuable ground-based observations on trees in urban environments that can be used for satellite-based carbon assessment. 

As part of the 35th Meeting of the International Resource Panel (IRP), held in Berlin from 8-12 June 2026, CircEUlar and its sister project CIRCOMOD contributed to a dedicated side event for IRP Steering Committee members focused on the role of circular economy measures in greenhouse gas emission mitigation.

A delegation from South Africa's National Research Foundation (NRF) visited IIASA to exchange knowledge on systems approaches to disruptive change, innovation, and evidence-informed decision-making. The visit reflects the longstanding collaboration between IIASA and South Africa.

What can millions of online conversations tell us about climate action? A new dashboard developed at IIASA uses AI to analyze social media discussions on food, mobility, and home energy choices, helping researchers track the social norms, barriers, and motivations that shape low-carbon lifestyles. By complementing traditional surveys with large-scale social media data, the LOW-AI project offers a new perspective on how climate-relevant behaviors are discussed and adopted in everyday life.

Under the leadership of IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber, the Science and Timber Construction Alliance (SITCA) was officially launched today. The initiative aims to transform the construction sector into a driver of climate protection through sustainable forest management and modern timber construction.

The ENFORCE project consortium will meet at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in the city of Barcelona to review the second year of the project and to develop an action plan for 2027. 

This third IIASA Gender Equality Report concludes the Gender Equality Plan (2023–2025) and aligns with the IIASA Strategy 2021–2030. It tracks progress on gender representation, workforce movement, addressing the gender pay gap, gender mainstreaming in science, work–life balance, and measures against gender-based violence.    

The Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research at Beijing Institute of Technology (CEEP-BIT) and IIASA held a bilateral discussion meeting in Beijing in late June 2026. The meeting provided a platform to exchange recent research, identify shared priorities, and explore opportunities for closer institutional and scientific cooperation.

On 26 June 2026, the Austrian IIASA Committee gathered at the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna for its 100th session – an afternoon focused on systems, science diplomacy, and the question of how to fit an entire world into a model.