News for journalists | 2015

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15 December 2015
In aging, one size does not fit all

New IIASA research provides a suite of measurements that could replace conventional measures of age, supporting smarter policies for retirement and health care.  More

14 December 2015
Algae cultivation could bring benefits for climate, food security

A new study examines the potential of algae as a livestock feed source, and potential benefits for climate change mitigation and food security.  More

07 December 2015
Have global emissions peaked?

Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are projected to stall in 2015, marking the first time that emissions have slowed without a concomitant economic decline.  More

07 December 2015
Negative emissions no silver bullet for climate change mitigation

There are significant constraints to large-scale deployment of negative emissions technologies in the future to reach climate change targets, according to a new study including IIASA research. The study emphasizes that greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced aggressively and immediately.  More

07 December 2015
A second look at the two-degree target

As negotiators begin their second week at the Paris climate change summit, researchers provide a scientific critique of the 2-degree climate target.  More

02 December 2015
Climate adaptation: Managing the risk of extreme events

Climate change brings with it an increased risk of extreme weather events, including heat waves, droughts, and heavy rainfall. A new special issue in the journal Climatic Change puts in perspective the latest research on the topic.  More

01 December 2015
Lazy microbes are key for soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration

Social interactions in microbial communities could explain how much carbon and nitrogen gets stored in soils—providing new insight for climate change research.  More

27 November 2015
Can Paris pledges avert severe climate change?

An international group of researchers shows that the Paris pledges on climate change could lay the groundwork for limiting climate change to the internationally agreed target of less than 2 degrees Celsius.  More

20 November 2015
Greater potential for transport in climate mitigation

The transport sector has the potential to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases in half by 2050, according to new analysis from researchers at IIASA and other institutions.  More

19 November 2015
Monitoring food security with mobile phones

With a mobile data collection app and satellite data, scientists may be able to project whether a certain region is vulnerable to food shortages and malnutrition. The method has now been tested in the Central African Republic.  More

13 November 2015
Network analysis shows systemic risk in mineral markets

A shortage of a rare mineral could spur global market instabilities, according to a new analysis of international commodity trade networks.  More

09 November 2015
World Bank Report: Climate, development and poverty

IIASA research conducted for a new World Bank report shows the key role of agriculture and forestry in addressing the interlinked challenges of climate change and poverty.  More

06 November 2015
Journalist Tip Sheet: Systems Analysis 2015

Highlights and information for journalists covering groundbreaking research at the Systems Analysis 2015 Conference from 11-13 November.  More

29 October 2015
Citizen science takes aim at deforestation

IIASA researchers aim to build a new deforestation map with the help of players in their new Picture Pile game.  More

26 October 2015
If a major economy takes the lead, warming could be limited to 2°C

A new study by an international team of researchers including IIASA scientists has found what amount of emissions reductions it would take for a major economy to lead out of the climate gridlock.  More

22 October 2015
Beyond the numbers: New report tackles country commitments on climate

A new report provides a detailed understanding of the transformations required to achieve individual country commitments on climate change.  More

19 October 2015
Carbon sequestration in soil: The potential underfoot

Declining greenhouse gas emissions from European cropland could compensate for up to 7% of annual agricultural emissions from the region, according to a new study analyzing the carbon uptake potential of soil. However at global scale, indirect effects could offset significant parts of these emission savings.  More

07 October 2015
Study on land use change underlies Brazil’s climate commitment

A new report from an international consortium including IIASA researchers provides the scientific guidance on deforestation and land use change to support Brazil in developing an evidence-based climate pledge.  More

28 September 2015
New project integrates climate and development research

A new grant from the European Union Horizon 2020 framework program for research and innovation links climate mitigation and adaptation policies with broader sustainable development questions at a global and regional level.  More

24 September 2015
Curbing short-lived pollutants a win-win for climate and air quality

Short-lived pollutants are key to fighting climate change and air pollution at the same time, according to new research from an international research project including the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).  More

02 September 2015
Risk of financial crisis higher than previously estimated

The risk of a financial crisis is substantially higher than previously estimated, according to new research that accounts for multiple levels of interconnectedness in the financial system.  More

31 August 2015
Older people getting smarter, but not fitter

Older populations are scoring better on cognitive tests than people of the same age did in the past —a trend that could be linked to higher education rates and increased use of technology in our daily lives, say IIASA population researchers.  More

28 August 2015
Downward revision in Chinese carbon dioxide emissions

Chinese carbon dioxideemissions could be lower than previously estimated, according to a new study published in the journal Nature.  More

21 August 2015
Boreal forests challenged by global change

Forest management must adapt in order to ensure that forests stay healthy in a time of unprecedented environmental change.  More

10 August 2015
The future of world religions

A new study by IIASA population researchers projects how world religious affiliations could change up to 2050.  More

21 July 2015
Economy main factor in US emissions decline

Recent declines in greenhouse gas emissions in the US were spurred more by the economic recession than by a shift from coal to natural gas, according to new IIASA research.  More

16 July 2015
The United Kingdom joins IIASA

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) announced today that the United Kingdom (UK) has become its newest member country. The UK has joined 22 other countries that guide and support IIASA’s research into the critical issues of global environmental, economic, technological, and social change that we face in the twenty-first century.  More

15 July 2015
Accounting for short-lived forcers in carbon budgets

New IIASA research shows how measures to reduce emissions of short-lived climate forcers can impact global carbon budgets for limiting climate change to below 2°C over pre-industrial levels.  More

09 July 2015
FotoQuest Austria: An adventure in citizen science

FotoQuest Austria, a summer citizen science campaign, allows participants to explore the outdoors while taking pictures and collecting observations for science, using a game-like app on their mobile devices.  More

08 July 2015
Social engagement aids disaster preparedness

Community participation and strong social networks can aid preparedness to natural disaster such as tsunamis in vulnerable regions, shows new research conducted in the south of Thailand.  More

06 July 2015
New report weighs sustainable development trade-offs

Natural resources management must be an integral part of policy to support the Sustainable Development Goals, argues a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), based on IIASA research.  More

18 June 2015
Sustainable energy crucial for development, climate action

Sustainable energy is crucial for inclusive development and action on climate change, said participants of the Vienna Energy Forum, which opened today in the capital of Austria.  More

18 June 2015
FAO: What climate change implies for global food security and trade

A new book including IIASA research takes stock of climate change impacts on food and agriculture at global and regional levels.  More

26 May 2015
Nordic forests under pressure

In the future, Nordic forests may become increasingly torn between demands from global industry, climate change mitigation, and environmental concerns, according to a new book.  More

21 May 2015
What would it take to limit climate change to 1.5°C?

A new study analyzes the required climate policy actions and targets in order to limit future global temperature rise to less than 1.5°C by 2100. This level is supported by more than 100 countries worldwide, including those most vulnerable to climate change, as a safer goal than the currently agreed international aim of 2°C.  More

21 May 2015
Energy and nature in the Alps: a balancing act

The Alps offer great potential for renewable energy production. But this simultaneously increases the pressure on nature. The recharge.green project, concluding this week, finds ways to ensure this balancing act succeeds.  More

18 May 2015
IPCC Expert Meeting: Climate research community looks into future scenarios

IIASA plays host to climate experts this week, who are meeting to discuss and further develop new socioeconomic scenarios for climate research.  More

12 May 2015
Linking population and climate change

Population growth and changes in demographic structure are a key factor influencing future climate change, as well as people’s ability to adapt.  More

11 May 2015
For biofuels and climate, location matters

Dedicating more land to biofuel production can lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions, which take decades to make up for. A new study shows that geography is a key factor determining how big that impact is.  More

05 May 2015
Horizon 2020 grant supports aging and health research

A new grant from the European Union will support an international research project on aging and health, including IIASA population researchers.  More

27 April 2015
Nature Comment: How can science support sustainable development?

Monitoring, data gathering, and evaluation processes are vital for the successful implementation of the multiple aims of the Sustainable Development Goals, argue leading researchers in a commentary in Nature.  More

22 April 2015
Earth League Statement: The year of opportunity for a sustainable future

A statement today by the Earth League highlights the key role of 2015 events on the path to a sustainable future, and provides essential elements for climate action at the Paris climate meeting in December.  More

21 April 2015
Sustainable development goals and the land-water-food nexus

Tackling the Sustainable Development Goals, with 17 different aims, requires coordinated action that takes into account the co-benefits and tradeoffs between the interlinked goals, according to new studies presented at the Global Soil Week 2015.  More

15 April 2015
Severe drought due to climate change: Where and when?

New research from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) shows that some regions may see unprecedented levels of drought before 2050—drawing increasing urgency to calls for adaptation and updated water management policy.  More

15 April 2015
Higher life expectancy could lead to slower aging

Faster increases in life expectancy reflect a process in which people become healthier, generally more capable, and indeed younger in many ways even if they have lived longer lives, according to population experts at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).  More

13 April 2015
Media Tip Sheet: New IIASA research at EGU

IIASA researchers are presenting new research on deforestation, water resources, climate change impacts, crowdsourcing, and more at the European Geophysical Union meeting in Vienna this week.  More

08 April 2015
New global crop data aid in food policy decisions

IIASA cropland maps form the basis of a new interactive web site, which shows production of 42 crops at ten-kilometer resolution.  More

30 March 2015
Citizen scientists map global forests

New global forest maps combine citizen science with multiple data sources, for an unprecedented level of accuracy about the location and extent of forestland worldwide.  More

12 March 2015
The World in 2050: Pathways towards a sustainable future

A new research project, announced today, will develop pathways to achieve sustainable development within a safe and just operating space of a stable planet.  More

19 February 2015
Clearing up Europe’s air pollution hotspots

Europe cannot achieve the WHO air quality guidelines without strictly controlling emissions from coal and wood burning for home heating, road traffic, and other sources such as industrial-scale factory farming, according to new IIASA research.  More

03 February 2015
How will ocean acidification impact marine life?

A new analysis provides a holistic assessment of the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on marine organisms including coral, shellfish, sea urchins, and other calcifying species.  More

16 January 2015
Finding farmland: New maps offer a clearer view of global agriculture

A new global cropland map combines multiple satellite data sources, reconciled using crowdsourced accuracy checks, to provide an improved record of total cropland extent as well as field size around the world.  More


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Last edited: 23 January 2019

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