Science into policy news
Effective institutions to support sustainable development
IIASA provided scientific input to the World Public Sector Report 2019, prepared by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations (UNDESA). The report focuses on the Sustainable Development Goal 16 on public institutions. More
Vienna Energy Forum 2020 announced at COP25
Her Excellency Maria Patek, Austria’s Minister for Sustainability and Tourism, announced the Vienna Energy Forum (VEF) 2020 during the high-level segment of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 25). More
Highlighting the importance and vulnerability of the world’s water towers
Mountains and highlands are often referred to as natural “water towers” because they provide lowland communities with essential freshwater for drinking, irrigation, industry, food, and energy production. A new Nature study provides insight into this valuable resource, which is crucial to the welfare of 1.9 billion people. More
Differences in replacement level fertility point to inequalities
The percentage of the world’s population that is above or below the ‘replacement level of fertility’ has long been used as a measure of demographic development. A new study revisited how this metric is calculated and how useful it really is in terms of informing policy decisions. More
Informing better policies for an aging population
A new book by IIASA World Population Program researchers offers an opportunity to rethink how we define and measure aging to inform better policies for future societal and economic health. More
Strengthening air quality management in China
Options Winter 2019/20:The Chinese Government has officially adopted the IIASA Greenhouse Gases – Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model to strengthen air quality management in the country. More
How much energy do we really need?
Two fundamental goals of humanity are to eradicate poverty and reduce climate change, and it is critical that the world knows whether achieving these goals will involve trade-offs. New IIASA research for the first time provides a basis to answer this question, including the tools needed to relate basic needs directly to resource use. More
Switching to solar and wind will reduce groundwater use
IIASA researchers explored optimal pathways for managing groundwater and hydropower trade-offs for different water availability conditions as solar and wind energy start to play a more prominent role in the state of California. More
Improving governance is key for adaptive capacity
Governance in climate vulnerable countries will take decades to improve, substantially impeding the ability of nations to adapt to climate change and affecting billions of people globally, according to new research published in Nature Sustainability. More
Exposing blind spots in the carbon budget space
The impact of 1°C of global heating is already having devastating impacts on communities and ecosystems across the globe. An international research group that included researchers from IIASA and Japan, identified biases towards some selected carbon budgets in the current scenario literature. They propose a more comprehensive approach to systematically explore the carbon budget scenario space. More
Integrated solutions for the Indus Basin
New framework helps decision makers find science-based pathways to address water resources and connected sustainability challenges in the Indus River basin. More
The long arm of childhood conditions
Available research on the impact of a person’s socioeconomic status during childhood suggests that the circumstances one grows up in matter a great deal for adult health. The results of a new IIASA study supports the notion of a “long arm of childhood conditions” that remains invisible beyond mid-life but can affect health satisfaction later in life. More
A roadmap to make the land sector carbon neutral by 2040
Land is critical to human livelihoods and wellbeing, while actions related to land use also play an important role in the climate system. IIASA researchers contributed to the development of a new roadmap outlining actions on deforestation, restoration, and carbon cuts that could lead to the land sector becoming carbon neutral by 2040 and a net carbon sink by 2050. More
Population aging to create pockets of climate vulnerability in the US
Population aging projections across the US show a divide between cities and rural areas, which could lead to pockets of vulnerability to climate change. More
Citizen science for sustainable development
Monitoring progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals requires a huge amount of data. Citizen science could help fill important data gaps, say IIASA researchers. More
Who is telling the truth about their health?
When researchers or policymakers ask health related questions – which they do a lot – they often rely on self-reported rather than tested health data. IIASA researchers looked into how reliable this type of data is for research and found that, depending on country or age, self-reported data could be highly biased. More
Assessing the effects of climate change on future wheat production
Wheat is the world’s largest rain-fed crop in terms of harvested area and supplies about 20% of all calories consumed by humans. A new study has found that unless steps are taken to mitigate climate change, up to 60% of current wheat-growing areas worldwide could see simultaneous, severe and prolonged droughts by the end of the century. More
Operationalizing targets for biodiversity conservation and restoration
The Nature Map Consortium has introduced new global maps that integrate available data on biodiversity and carbon to assist country policies for biodiversity and land-based greenhouse gas emissions. More
Exploring the future of coal power in water scarce Asia
Many aspects of modern energy systems necessitate access to reliable water resources. The findings of a new study involving IIASA researchers shows that Developing Asia’s long-term electricity generation plans – which relies heavily on coal power generation – could be significantly impacted by regional changes in the availability of water under climate change. More
Exposing the dirty footprint of the broken grid
A newly released report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) shows that fossil fuel-burning backup generators in developing countries produce as much energy as 700-1,000 coal-fired power stations, consume US$50 billion in annual spending, and emit dangerous chemicals into homes and businesses. More
Rethinking scenario logic for climate policy
Current scenarios used to inform climate policy have a weakness in that they typically focus on reaching specific climate goals in 2100 – an approach which may encourage risky pathways that could have long-term negative effects. A new IIASA-led study presents a novel scenario framework that focuses on capping global warming at a maximum level with either temperature stabilization or reversal thereafter. More
Landmark report outlines critical transitions for transforming food and land use
A new report released by the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) is the first to assess the benefits of transforming global food and land use systems, as well as the mounting costs of inaction. The authors call on world leaders to act now and advance the economic case for change. More
How can we feed the world without overwhelming the planet?
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 calls for ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture. The environmental challenges posed by agriculture are however massive, and many fear that they will only become more pressing as we try to meet the growing need for food worldwide. IIASA researchers and colleagues from Japan propose alternative hunger eradication strategies that will not compromise environmental protection. More
Deep transformations needed to achieve the SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change call for deep transformations that require complementary actions by governments, civil society, science, and business. IIASA contributed to a new study outlining six major transformations that will be required to achieve these ambitious goals. More
Taking on SDG 6: Launch of the Water Scarcity Clock
IIASA contributed to the development of the Water Scarcity Clock – a free webtool that allows decision makers to monitor the number of people around the globe suffering from water scarcity in real time. The new tool aimed at policymakers was launched in Stockholm on Sunday, 25 August to mark the start of this year’s World Water Week. More
Addressing causes of mortality in Zambia
Despite the fact that people in sub-Saharan Africa are now living longer than they did two decades ago, their average life expectancy remains below that of the rest of the world population. A new study looked into the importance of various causes of death in Zambia and how eliminating the most prominent of these would impact life expectancy in the country. More
Examining the link between caste and under-five mortality in India
In India, children that belong to disadvantaged castes face a much higher likelihood of not living past their fifth birthday than their counterparts in non-deprived castes. IIASA researchers examined the association between castes and under-five mortality in an effort to help reduce the burden of under-five deaths in the country. More
Uncertainty in emissions estimates in the spotlight
National or other emissions inventories of greenhouse gases that are used to develop strategies and track progress in terms of emissions reductions for climate mitigation contain a certain amount of uncertainty, which inevitably has an impact on the decisions they inform. IIASA researchers contributed to several studies in a recently published volume that aims to enhance understanding of uncertainty in emissions inventories. More
Observation-driven research to inform better groundwater management policies
Groundwater maintains vital ecosystems and strongly influences water and energy budgets. Although at least 400 million people in sub-Saharan Africa depend on this valuable resource for their domestic water needs, the processes that sustain it and their sensitivity to climatic variability, are poorly understood. IIASA contributed to a study that looked into climate impacts on groundwater in light of changing climatic patterns in Africa. More
Lifting the fog on carbon budgets
The concept of a carbon budget has become a popular tool in guiding climate policy since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report was released in 2014. IIASA researchers were involved in the development of a framework that can help scientists determine which factors affect the size of the remaining carbon budget and how they interact. More
Protecting a forgotten treasure trove of biodiversity
The lesser-known Cerrado biome in Brazil is a hotspot of biodiversity, but it is being destroyed at an alarming rate by unsustainable agricultural activities. A study involving IIASA researchers published in the journal Science Advances, calls attention to this forgotten region and urges the international community to support measures for its protection. More
Curbing indoor air pollution in India
Clean cooking energy transitions are extremely challenging to achieve, but they offer enormous potential health, environmental, and societal benefits. A study by researchers from IIASA, the University of British Columbia, and the Stockholm Environment Institute provides new insights about an Indian program that aims to solve one of the most difficult developmental challenges of the 21st century – smoky kitchens. More
The Digital Revolution: Opportunities and challenges for sustainable development
The Digital Revolution has brought about rapid technological change, transforming the way societies function and how humanity impacts the Earth. A new report describes how digitalization can transform the world and how these changes can be planned for as we move towards 2030 and beyond. More
Picturing access to energy for all in sub-Saharan Africa
Satellite images showing nighttime lights on different continents have long been recognized as an indicator of the availability and use of electricity around the world. IIASA researchers examined the precision with which these images can be converted into detailed maps of electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa. More
Applied science with a global reach
Options Summer 2019: As part of its mandate to provide sound, science-based policy advice, IIASA research regularly forms part of influential global publications aimed at decision makers. More
Exploring the causes of persistent corruption
IIASA researchers used a novel approach to explore the key processes and conditions that determine corruption levels. Their analysis shows that transparency about the integrity of institutions is key to fighting corruption, and that vigilance against corruption must be maintained despite its cost, even when corruption levels appear to be low. More
Education trumps age-structure in terms of providing a demographic dividend
The relationship between population changes and economic growth has been a controversial topic among demographers for many years. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) today, challenges the dominant view that fertility decline and changes in age structure are key drivers of economic growth. More
Is there a demographic need for migration in Europe?
A European Commission-IIASA flagship report has found that an increase in the EU population aged 65+ is certain – regardless of higher fertility or migration. However, raising labor force participation (particularly for women) and improved education of natives and migrants have the power to nullify aging-related worries. More
Fixing a broken food system
In a comment in Nature, researchers lay out a solution for climate change and food security that draws on an integrated view of agriculture, biodiversity, trade, and nutrition. More
Reducing carbon emissions while improving health is economically attractive
The findings of a study involving researchers from IIASA, Princeton, and several other institutions looked into the question of how much the current generation should invest in reducing carbon emissions for the benefit of future generations. Their findings support the climate targets of the Paris Agreement. More
Gender in the transition to energy for all: From evidence to inclusive policies
IIASA researchers contributed to a new report released by the ENERGIA International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy that looked at the role of gender in achieving sustainable energy for all. More
Rethinking conservation efforts for improved biodiversity
A study published online by the journal Science, looked into why the global commitment towards the expansion of protected areas has not delivered the expected conservation benefits. The researchers propose a new target and a set of indicators that can galvanize global conservation efforts and lead to positive biodiversity outcomes. More
Poor air quality to remain a problem in India despite pollution control policies
According to an independent study released today by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), more than 674 million Indian citizens are likely to breathe air with high concentrations of PM2.5 in 2030, even if India were to comply with its existing pollution control policies and regulations. More
New measures show population aging likely to end this century
Policymakers have long been concerned about the effects of an aging population on society, but researchers at IIASA have developed a new tool that shows population aging will likely end by the middle of the century in high-income countries. More
Addressing cooling needs and energy poverty targets in the Global South
With most of the northern hemisphere currently in the icy grip of one of the coldest winters ever recorded, in the south it is record breaking heat that is the problem. The results of a new IIASA study show that between 1.8 and 4.1 billion people require access to indoor cooling to avoid heat related stresses. More
New study establishes causal link between climate, conflict, and migration
IIASA-led research has established a causal link between climate, conflict, and migration for the first time, something which has been widely suggested in the media but for which scientific evidence is scarce. More
Integrated pathways for meeting climate targets and ensuring access to safe water
IIASA researchers have led work to develop new pathways showing how the world can develop water and energy infrastructure consistent with both the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. More
Disability among India’s elderly much higher than census estimates
New estimates of disability among India’s elderly population, based on the ability to carry out three basic living activities – walking, dressing, and toileting – show that the scale of the problem is much larger than suggested by the Indian national census. More
European Commission long-term strategy on climate change underpinned by IIASA research
The European Commission has adopted a new long-term strategy, A Clean Planet for all, on how Europe can become climate neutral by 2050 and meet its Paris Agreement commitments, and IIASA research has contributed to the quantitative backbone. More
Climate change and air pollution damaging health and causing millions of premature deaths
IIASA researchers have contributed to a major new report in The Lancet medical journal looking at the effects of climate change on human health, and the implications for society. More
New UNEP report concludes nations must triple efforts to reach 2°C target
IIASA researchers Joeri Rogelj and Daniel Huppmann were among the contributors to the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) 2018 Emissions Gap Report, which says that while it is still possible to keep global warming below 2°C, the nations of the world must triple their efforts to reduce emissions. More
Crowdsourced field data shows importance of smallholder farms to global food production
A new global field size data set collected as part of a crowdsourcing citizen science project by IIASA researchers has shown that the proportion of smallholder farms may be much larger than previously thought, contributing much more to global food production. More
25 years of Ukraine membership at IIASA
Options Winter 2018/19: The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine joined IIASA as a National Member Organization in 1994. We look back on 25 years of fruitful collaboration. More
Ensuring a better future through global cooperation
Options Winter 2018/19: Q&A with Heinz Faßmann, Minister for Education, Science, and Research of the Republic of Austria. More
Reducing US coal emissions through biomass and carbon capture would boost employment
Employing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), would not only retain 40,000 jobs currently held as part of the US coal industry but would create 22,000 new jobs in the forestry and transportation sectors by the middle of this century, according to new IIASA-led research. More
Financial and non-financial firms need the same strong regulations to protect economies
Researchers at IIASA and the Complexity Science Hub, Vienna, have discovered that non-financial firms, such as vehicle manufacturers and energy companies, contribute to systemic risk in financial systems in the same way as financial institutions like banks, and as such, should be regulated in the same way. More
New interactive scenario explorer for 1.5°C pathways
IIASA and the Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium (IAMC) have made the scenarios underlying last week’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1.5°C Special Report publicly available, in an interactive online resource. The resource provides scenarios and a suite of visualization and analysis tools, making the assessment more transparent to researchers, policymakers, and the public. More
Innovative tool allows continental-scale water, energy, and land system modeling
A new large-scale hydroeconomic model, developed by a team at IIASA, will allow researchers to study water systems across whole continents, looking at sustainability of supply and the impacts of water management on the energy and agricultural sectors. More
IIASA contributes to IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has published its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, a new assessment on minimizing global warming, and multiple IIASA researchers were involved in its production. More
New book looks at dealing with critical risks from climate change beyond adaptation limits
A new book edited by researchers at IIASA, the London School of Economics (LSE) and Deltares looks at the research, political debate and policy options surrounding the impacts of climate change which may be irreversible and beyond physical and social adaptation limits, known as Loss and Damage. More
Paris climate targets could be exceeded sooner than expected
A new study has for the first time comprehensively accounted for permafrost carbon release when estimating emission budgets for climate targets. The results show that the world might be closer to exceeding the budget for the long-term target of the Paris climate agreement than previously thought. More
China’s energy policies: A balancing act between air quality, carbon emissions, and water scarcity goals
China is attempting a shift from coal to natural gas in an effort to address the country’s severe air pollution. A new study shows that although such a switch generally has benefits for air quality, carbon mitigation, and water stress, some options may in fact increase carbon emissions and water consumption. More
Novel framework to address uncertainty in water management
IIASA researchers have developed a general decision-making framework to support policy decisions on the management of water resources, which, for the first time, explicitly takes into account the associated uncertainties. More
India needs ‘giant leap’ to meet 2030 targets in reducing child mortality rates
IIASA researchers have found that almost half of the districts in India are not on track to reduce the mortality rates of newborns and meet the target set out under Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) for 2030, while a third will not meet the target for under-five mortality rates. More
Climate taxes on agriculture could lead to more food insecurity than climate change itself
New IIASA-led research has found that a single climate mitigation scheme applied to all sectors, such as a global carbon tax, could have a serious impact on agriculture and result in far more widespread hunger and food insecurity than the direct impacts of climate change. Smarter, inclusive policies are necessary instead. More
IIASA researchers help EU states to assess forestry’s role in achieving climate commitments
IIASA researchers have led the development of new guidance for EU member states estimating greenhouse gas emissions and removals from their forests and developing plans to show how they will account for these emissions and removals in the future. More
Behavior-influencing policies are critical for mass market success of low carbon vehicles
Policies to entice consumers away from fossil-fuel powered vehicles and normalize low carbon, alternative-fuel alternatives, such as electric vehicles, are vital if the world is to significantly reduce transport sector carbon emissions, according to new research. More
Six transformations needed to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals: major report launched
The World in 2050 (TWI2050) initiative has launched a new report, setting out six key transformations that will enable the world to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More
Brazil’s Forest Code can balance the needs of agriculture and the environment
If fully implemented, Brazil’s Forest Code, an environmental law designed to protect the country’s native vegetation and regulate land use, will not prevent growth in Brazilian agriculture, according to new IIASA-led research. More
Biorefineries will have only minimal effects on wood products and feedstocks markets
A new report from researchers from IIASA, Luleå University of Technology (LTU), and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden has shown that more biorefineries, which produce biobased fuels and chemicals, will have only a small effect on the availability and pricing of wood products and feedstocks. More
Clean power is not enough: More action in other sectors needed to meet Paris targets
CO2 emissions from non-electricity energy uses, such as industry, transport, and heating, are the greatest impediment to meeting the Paris climate targets, according to new research from an international team of scientists. More
UK weight misperception highest among overweight and obese, influenced by socioeconomic factors
A new study reveals that overweight and obese adults in the UK are more likely to underestimate their weight status and less likely to try to lose weight, especially among lower-income, lower-education, and minority groups. More
Meeting Paris climate targets will require a substantial reallocation of global investment
A new analysis by an international team of scientists led by IIASA shows that low carbon investments will need to markedly increase if the world is to achieve the Paris Agreement aim of keeping global warming well below 2°C. More
What drives migration?
Options Summer 2018: IIASA research is providing a scientific basis to help design evidence-based migration policies that will benefit Europe while ensuring humanitarian needs are met. More
Opinion: Challenges to science diplomacy
Options Summer 2018: Sir Peter Gluckman is the chief science advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, and an IIASA Distinguished Visiting Fellow. More
Shaping the future of public transport in Sweden
Options Summer 2018: In 2015, Sweden announced an ambitious aim to become one of the first nations to end its dependence on fossil fuels. Work done by IIASA researchers in collaboration with Swedish partners, is now contributing to discussions to make this goal a reality. More
Global warming can be limited to 1.5°C by transforming how we move around, heat our homes, and use devices
Global warming can be limited to 1.5°C by unprecedented improvements in the energy efficiency of everyday activities, according to new research from an international team of scientists at IIASA. More
New papers highlight economic benefits of European-Eurasian economic ties
A IIASA-led project looking at economic ties between the European Union (EU) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) has published three new reports offering recommendations to improve economic cooperation despite ongoing political cool-down. More
Global temperature rise of 2°C doubles the population exposed to multiple climate risks compared to a 1.5°C rise
New research identifying climate vulnerability hotspots has found that the number of people affected by multiple climate change risks could double if the global temperature rises by 2°C, compared to a rise of 1.5°C. More
Gender discrimination results in the deaths of extra 239,000 girls per year in India
A new study has found that there is an average of 239,000 excess deaths per year of girls under the age of five in India, or 2.4 million in a decade, and excess female child mortality is found in 90% of districts in the country. More
Education, not income, the best predictor of a long life
Rising income and the subsequent improved standards of living have long been thought to be the most important factors contributing to a long and healthy life. However, new research from Wolfgang Lutz and Endale Kebede, from IIASA and the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) has shown that instead, the level of education a person has is a much better predictor of life expectancy. More
Achieving healthy, climate-friendly, affordable diets in India
New research led by IIASA researcher Narasimha Rao has shown how it might be possible to reduce micronutrient deficiencies in India in an affordable way whilst also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. More
Models show how to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C
There are several ways to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C by 2100, and new research led by IIASA researcher Joeri Rogelj shows under what conditions this could happen. More
Sea levels will rise 20 cm more by 2300 for each 5-year delay in peak emissions
Ensuring that global CO2 emissions peak as soon as possible is crucial for limiting sea-level rises, even if global warming is limited to well below 2°C. A new study involving IIASA research has now estimated how much sea levels will rise as a result of peak emission delays. More
Removing fossil fuel subsidies will not reduce CO2 emissions as much as hoped
Removing fossil fuel subsidies would have only a small effect on CO2 emissions and renewable energy use, new research has shown. The largest emissions savings would be in oil and gas exporting countries, where fewer poor people would be affected, and subsidy removal can be aided by currently low oil prices. More
Modeling Indonesia’s energy revolution
Options Winter 2017/18:Indonesia has ambitious energy goals: only rigorous analysis can guide it to the best solution. More
Solving Delhi’s pollution troubles
Options Winter 2017/18:“Neighbouring states responsible for 60% of Delhi pollution”, said a recent headline in the Indian Express, adding to the megacity’s debate about its dirty air. More
What is disaster resilience?
Options Summer 2017: True disaster resilience is not just about reducing risk, it must also have sustainable development at its core. More
Ambiguous pledges leave large uncertainty under Paris climate agreement
Emission reduction pledges made by individual countries under the Paris Agreement leave a wide range of possible climate outcomes, according to new research. Without stronger pledges, the study shows, the climate goals may not be possible to achieve. More
Supporting national climate policy
Options Magazine Winter 2016: While policymakers around the world grapple with the complex problem of setting their countries’ climate commitments, IIASA research has been helping to provide a clear, quantitative evidence base. More
Invest in energy to cut air pollution deaths
Options Magazine Winter 2016: Just a small increase in energy investment could cut premature deaths from air pollution in half by 2040, says a new report which was underpinned by key contributions from the IIASA Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases Program. More
Can carbon markets work?
Options Magazine Summer 2016: Carbon markets have been floundering, IIASA research explores whether they can be saved. More
Climate risk management
Options Magazine Winter 2015: Tacklingthe impacts of climate‑related disasters using a risk layering approach. More
