What is IIASA?
An introduction to the
International Institute for
Applied Systems Analysis
HOME OF IIASA SINCE 1972
MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES
FOOD
FOOD
• 870 million people were undernourished
in 2012 (FAO)
• By 2030, the world’s population will have
increased by one billion (IIASA)
• Agriculture accounts for 70% of
freshwater withdrawals (UN Water)
MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES
WATER
WATER
• 783 million people have inadequate
access to safe freshwater (WHO & UNICEF)
• Water use has been growing at more
than twice the rate of population increase
in the last century (FAO & UN-Water)
• Hydropower supplies about 20% of the
world’s electricity (ICOLD)
MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES
ENERGY
ENERGY
• 2.5 billion people are without access to
modern energy (IIASA/GEA)
• World primary energy demand expected to
increase by 33% between 2011 & 2035 (IEA)
• Energy production and consumption
contributes over 80% of global GHG
emissions (IIASA)
MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES
CLIMATE
CHANGE
CLIMATE CHANGE
• Each of the last three decades has been
successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than
any preceding decade since 1850 (IPCC)
• Global surface temperature change for the end
of the 21st century is likely to exceed 1.5°C
relative to 1850 for all scenarios (IPCC)
• 70 million Africans could suffer from devastating
floods as a result of climate change (IPCC)
MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES
POVERTY
& EQUITY
POVERTY & EQUITY
• 1.2 billion people are still living in
extreme poverty (UN MDG)
• 60.9 % of workers in the developing
world still live on less than US$4 a day
(UN MDG)
• “Hunger is a cause of poverty, not just a
consequence of it.” (FAO)
INEXTRICABLY LINKED
IIASA STRATEGY
2011-2020
MISSION
To provide insight and guidance to
policymakers worldwide by finding
solutions to global and universal
problems through applied systems
analysis in order to improve human
and social wellbeing and to protect
the environment.
New Research Framework
Science, Policy, Society
Partnerships
Natural
Systems
Technology &
Infrastructure
Systems
Integrated
Solutions for
Sustainability
Transformations
Integrated Systems
Analysis
Human &
Social
Systems
IIASA
Research
Water
(WAT)
Land Use,
Agriculture &
Ecosystems*
(LAE)
Advanced
Systems
Analysis
(ASA)
Evolution &
Ecology
(EEP)
World
Population
(POP)
Energy
(ENE)
Air Quality*
(AIR)
Systems
Approaches in
Support of
Sustainability
Global
Health
Transitions
to New
Technologies
(TNT)
Risk &
Resilience*
(RAR)
* Proposed new names under discussion
Governance
Large-scale Integrated Projects Supporting
Major Global Transformations
Crosscutting
Research
Science to Policy
Core
Research
Capacity
Development
and Training
Exploratory Projects
New Methodologies in Systems Approaches
Administration, Infrastructure & Services
Science Diplomacy
Community Services
How IIASA Delivers Impact
Working at the heart of the IPCC reports
• 21 IIASA researchers and council
members were lead authors or
contributors to the latest report
• Helping to develop the
Representative Concentration
Pathways
• And Shared Socioeconomic
Pathways
• IIASA also serves as the
repository for two IPCC databases
The Global Energy Assessment
The GEA addressed four topics that are key to energy
transformation:
• a review of major energy challenges
• an assessment of current
technologies
• pathways to solutions
• policy recommendations and tools
The GEA also provided the scientific basis for the global
initiative Sustainable Energy for All.
Shaping European air quality policy
IIASA model GAINS explores the synergies and tradeoffs between control of air pollution and mitigation of
greenhouse gases.
• The European Commission’s new clean air policy
package, introduced in 2013, was based on GAINS
scenarios.
• New EU climate and energy targets for 2030, agreed
in 2014, were informed by GAINS model results on
the benefits and costs of different climate policies.
Using citizen science to gather vital landuse data
The IIASA Geo-Wiki project harnesses the power of
citizen science to collect and verify land cover data
• Volunteers review locations
where data are missing or where
sources disagree.
Geo-Wiki samples collected
across the UK
• People playing Geo-Wiki games
on tablet, mobile phone, and PC,
have validated land cover data
over half the size of the EU.
Sustainable land use
GAEZ analyzes the synergies and trade-offs between
alternative uses of resources (land, water, technology).
GAEZ has been
refined over 30 years,
and continues to
shape land-use policy
today.
GAEZ findings have contributed reports for the UN
Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank.
Helping to protect fish stocks
Intense fishing can alter fish species’ genetics,
possibly putting them at risk of population collapse.
IIASA, working under ICES, developed a framework
for Evolutionary Impact Assessments.
This framework is now in widespread use and
enables fisheries managers to estimate changes in
genetic traits and study the effects.
Demonstrating the power of education
Previously it was assumed that nations’ economic
development was tied to decreasing fertility rates.
BUT work at IIASA showed that
most improvements can be
explained by increasing education
levels.
Education is also vital for climate change adaptation.
The education of young women is the most important
factor in reducing vulnerability to natural disasters.
Strengthening flood resilience
IIASA is a founding member of the Zurich Flood
Resilience Alliance, which:
• Strengthens the resilience of
communities against floods
• Disseminates knowledge and
expertise
• Conducts innovative research
The project received the UN “Momentum for Change”
Lighthouse Activity award in 2014
Helping countries bounce back
The IIASA CATSIM model allows countries to evaluate
different policy options for dealing with natural disasters
Madagascar sought IIASA assistance
in the wake of cyclone Gafilo, which
killed 363 people.
This helped develop risk
management and technology
approaches for the country to reduce
future disaster impacts.
Global population growth: Is education the
missing link?
IIASA 2014 population
projections were the first
to include education.
The findings show
world population
increases more slowly
if education is better,
peaking and declining
to 8 billion by 2100.
Integrated Projects Supporting Major
Transitions
IIASA consistently emphasizes the importance of
problem solving over disciplinary interests.
Major cross-cutting projects include:
• ISIMIP, examining the impact of
climate change on people.
• Tropical Futures Initiative,
exploring how to achieve
sustainable management of forests
IIASA
MEMBERS:
Represent scientific community of a
country and are often the National
Academy or principal research funding
agency
FUNDING
• Annual income in 2014 was €19.2 million of which
54% was from IIASA National Member
Organizations.
• Additional funding comes from contracts and
grants. Between 2006 and 2014, IIASA research
was awarded grants that amounted to €69 million.
This was part of a total funding portfolio of €329
million of the external projects in which IIASA was
and is involved.
ATTRACTING THE BEST SCIENTISTS
Scientific Staff
Research visitors to IIASA
Other worldwide
collaborators (including ~25% of
323
1,400
~800
IIASA alumni network)
TOTAL (for 2014)
~2500
In addition, IIASA collaborates with almost 300
institutions from 65 countries
CROSSING DISCIPLINES
29% 30%
41%
Natural Scientists &
Engineers
Social Scientists
Mathematicians and
others
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
Capacity building
The Young Scientists
Summer Program trains
the next generation of
researchers from
around the world
IIASA Postdoctoral Research Program
Every year IIASA provides full funding for several
postdoctoral researchers.
• The Luis Donaldo Colosio Fellowship awards
Mexican citizens a two-year position at IIASA.
• The Peter E. de
Janosi Postdoctoral
Fellowship offers 10
year-long
postdoctoral
positions.
OUTPUT: JOURNAL ARTICLES
JOURNAL ARTICLES & CITATONS
10000
300
9000
250
8000
7000
200
Citations
6000
5000
150
4000
100
3000
2000
50
1000
0
0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Citations
Journal Articles
NOBEL PRIZE
WINNERS
Professor Tjalling Koopmans
and Professor Leonid Kantorovich
Nobel Prize in Economics (1975)
NOBEL PRIZE
WINNERS
Professor Paul Crutzen
Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1995)
NOBEL PRIZE
WINNERS
Professor Thomas C. Schelling
Nobel Prize for Economics (2005)
NOBEL PRIZE
WINNERS
Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change
Nobel Peace Prize (2007)
Thank you
For further information about IIASA:
www.iiasa.ac.at or inf@iiasa.ac.at
Subscribe to IIASA’s publications:
www.iiasa.ac.at/keepintouch