Regional highlights
IIASA researchers collaborate with colleagues from member countries and partner institutions around the globe to develop holistic, systems-based solutions and provide policy advice for some of the most pressing problems society face today.



A new integrated modeling framework developed by IIASA researchers and colleagues working on the Integrated Solutions for Water, Energy, and Land (ISWEL) Project, will help decision makers find science-based pathways to address water resources and connected sustainability challenges in the Indus River basin.

Cooperation is fundamental to the survival of all biological species, including humanity. In two studies published in 2019, IIASA researchers continued to explore how the general framework to study cooperation can be used to understand factors that reinforce corruption and to shed new light on the evolution of cooperation in biological populations.

Current scenarios used to inform climate policy tend to focus on reaching specific climate goals by 2100 – an approach that may encourage risky pathways with long-term negative effects. A novel scenario framework developed by IIASA researchers could help to return global warming to safer levels in the longer term.

Extreme climatic conditions are responsible for at least 30% of the annual fluctuations in worldwide agricultural yield. An innovative IIASA modelling study showed that extreme temperatures could lead to unusually low harvests if more than one of the world’s breadbaskets are affected at the same time.

Machine learning is gaining prominence as a powerful tool that can deliver more precise and efficient models, as well as more accurate and rich results. In 2019, IIASA researchers continued to investigate how various machine-learning algorithms can help create and analyze data, as well as how they can help develop new tools to make modeling more efficient and feasible.

Many developed countries are facing challenges caused by very low birth rates and an aging population. IIASA researchers provided a systematic, multidimensional demographic analysis of the degree to which the negative economic consequences of population aging can be mitigated by changes in migration, education and labor force participation patterns.

Over the years, IIASA research has significantly advanced our understanding of how fishing affects populations and has yielded insights on sustainable fisheries practices. Two recent studies examined the implications of emerging paradigms in fisheries management to safeguard the future of this important food source.

The IIASA-led The World in 2050 initiative launched its second report in 2019. The publication reviewed recent trends in digitalization and identified opportunities the digital revolution presents for the sustainable development agenda, governance issues, and specific leverage points available for policy.