ASA Program aims to discover, develop, and deploy new, more effective, and efficient ways of infusing systems science into policy and decision making for sustainable development.
Despite numerous success stories, many policies and decisions that currently aim to deal with global change are not sufficiently informed by cutting-edge science. Among the major barriers that prevent the effective input of science into policy are perceived shortfalls in agility, realism, and relevance of the current generation of methods and models from the standpoint of end users. To address these barriers, ASA strives to advance agile, realistic, and relevant systems analytical tools and methods, and facilitate a shared understanding of the capabilities and limits of these tools and methods with end users. Consequently, ASA’s efforts span the full range, from advancing research methods and tools of systems analysis to innovating at the interface between policy- and decision making, as well as with society at large.
ASA Program’s major objectives are:
- To innovate approaches and tools to analyze increasingly systemic, social-ecological risks and support decisions aimed at enhancing resilience and facilitating sustainability transitions and transformations.
- To further the capacity of agile, on-demand systems analysis underpinned by a suite of modeling frameworks of appropriate complexity.
- To mobilize multiple sources of data and the power of data science to diagnose and identify solutions to reduce vulnerabilities and risks.
- To advance feasible and effective ways of engagement with policymakers, the private sector, and citizens.
- To enhance trust and shared understanding of systems analysis methods and tools, in particular, through open science.
Projects
Staff
News
02 April 2024
CROPS: a new EU-funded project to grow citizen science in Europe
27 March 2024
Rising waters and sinking communities: exploring the scope for transformation and resilience in riverine Bangladesh
28 February 2024
A reliable food supply in West Africa requires smarter planning for low-yield events
Events
Focus
11 April 2024
Breaking boundaries through citizen science
The way we do science has come a long way—from having only experts work on scientific projects, to where many projects now also include members of the public as participants. This change is thanks to citizen science, which creates opportunities for science to be taken to the next level.
20 March 2024
From Earth Observation data to policy impact
Despite advancements in data collection and analysis, bridging the gap between Earth Observation products and policy implementation remains a critical challenge. The upcoming Open-Earth-Monitor Global Workshop 2024 provides an ideal platform to explore the pivotal role of Earth Observation in shaping policies and contribute insights to achieving a sustainable future.
Publications
Feichtinger, G. & Wrzaczek, S. (2024). The optimal momentum of population growth and decline. Theoretical Population Biology 155 51-66. 10.1016/j.tpb.2023.12.002. Zelingher, R. & Makowski, D. (2024). Investigating and forecasting the impact of crop production shocks on global commodity prices. Environmental Research Letters 19 (1) e014026. 10.1088/1748-9326/ad0dda. Komendantova, N. , Zobeidi, T., & Yazdanpanah, M. (2024). How Do Instagram Messages Affect the Use of Renewable Energy? -- Application of an Extended Information Adoption Model. Journal of Environmental Informatics 43 10.3808/jei.202400515. Zobeidi, T., Yazdanpanah, M., Komendantova, N. , Lohr, K., & Sieber, S. (2024). Evaluating climate change adaptation options in the agriculture sector: a PROMETHEE-GAIA analysis. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators 22 e100395. 10.1016/j.indic.2024.100395.