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New research by an international team of scientists finds that fully phasing out fossil fuels worldwide by 2050 would require global electricity generation to expand by roughly 60 to 80% beyond the levels projected in conventional 1.5°C climate pathways. The study also shows that eliminating fossil fuels could significantly reduce dependence on CO₂ removal technologies and underground carbon storage.

The African Human Capital Data Sheet 2026: Past Trends, Skills, and Future Pathways presents new evidence on population trends by level of education, skills, and demographic transitions across the African continent.

Job opportunities from our partners.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) methods are becoming increasingly important in both science and society. In climate science - where complex biophysical and societal processes interact across diverse temporal and spatial scales, and datasets are often large, heterogenous and incomplete - AI and ML methods offer new powerful solutions.

IIASA Deputy Director General, Karen Lips, will participate in two international events focused on strengthening the role of systems approaches, open science, and research impact in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The events are connected with the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Global Research Council (GRC), which will take place in in Bangkok, Thailand, from 18 to 22 May 2026.

Tipping points in the Earth system are often portrayed as ominous, abrupt shifts that could significantly alter life on Earth. While this reflects the seriousness of the science, the framing can also create confusion and discourage action. This webinar will explore how climate tipping points are communicated, with a focus on making these complex scientific concepts accessible and meaningful for a range of audiences, including policymakers, stakeholders, and the wider public.

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.  

IIASA Deputy Director General Karen Lips will participate in the OSCE conference “Anticipating technologies – for a safe and humane future” at CERN. The event will focus on dialogue, trust, and joint approaches to strengthening peace and security in an increasingly complex world, aligning with Switzerland’s work on the UN Security Council.

Tropical forests are one of the planet's most important carbon sinks – often also called "the lungs of the Earth". But their future in a high-CO₂ world remains uncertain. IIASA researchers contributed to a new study, which suggests even small understory trees in the Amazon may initially buffer climate change more strongly. Their long-term capacity to store carbon could, however, be restricted by nutrient availability, highlighting the vulnerability of these ecosystems under future climate conditions.

Within the framework of the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (IVECF) 2026, CircEUlar researchers Volker Krey (IIASA), Alessio Mastrucci (IIASA), Adriana Gomez Sanabria (IIASA), and Dominik Wiedenhofer (BOKU) convened a high-level Deep Dive session titled “Integrated green industrialisation strategies across the energy, material and climate nexus to achieve climate and development goals” on 10 April. The session brought together representatives from policy, industry, finance, international organisations, and research.

In April, IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber, visited Kazakhstan at the invitation of Yerlan Nyssanbayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, to participate in the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES 2026).

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) methods are becoming increasingly important in both science and society. In climate science - where complex biophysical and societal processes interact across diverse temporal and spatial scales, and datasets are often large, heterogenous and incomplete - AI and ML methods offer new powerful solutions.