Plant and animal species across the world are steadily disappearing due to human activity. A breakthrough IIASA-led study emphasizes that without ambitious, integrated action, turning the tide of biodiversity loss will not be possible by 2050.

Air pollution has serious health impacts and is considered the number one environmental risk factor for human health globally. According to IIASA research, achieving clean air is an attainable goal that would prevent millions of premature deaths every year.

Transitioning to sustainable energy systems is challenging due to the many different views, perceptions, and interests involved with regard to the process itself, and in terms of attitudes towards various energy generation technologies. IIASA researchers developed recommendations that consider the perspectives of multiple stakeholders in the governance of such transitions in three countries.

Environmental hazards affect populations worldwide and can drive migration under specific conditions, especially in middle-income and agriculture-dependent countries. Changes in temperature levels, increased rainfall variability, and rapid-onset disasters such as tropical storms play an important role in this regard.

In the last decade, floods have affected more people than any other type of disaster. IIASA researchers are working to strengthen the scientific basis for building disaster and climate resilience worldwide.

IIASA researchers have developed a new largescale, open source hydrological and water resources model to support and enable investigations by different stakeholder groups and scientific communities.

COVID-19 has undeniably brought about unprecedented global change, but according to the latest report of The World in 2050 (TWI2050) initiative, the crisis could be an opportunity to create sustainable societies with higher levels of wellbeing for all.

Science-based information is critical for sound decision-making. IIASA researchers are helping to make climate scenarios more user-friendly to enable all kinds of decision makers to effectively incorporate the valuable information such scenarios provide into their decision-making processes.