International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis is a research center that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Innovative solutions for sustainability in the Zambezi River Basin
A new study addresses the urgent challenges in managing the water-energy-land nexus in the Zambezi River Basin, which is crucial for southern Africa's economic stability and environmental health. The authors of the article suggest strategies for economic development that protect environmental resources and adapt to climate and socioeconomic changes. The Zambezi River Basin, the fourth […]
Drowning in waste: pollution hotspots in aquatic environments
A new IIASA study explores waste management systems and reveals that achieving zero waste leakage by 2030 is unlikely, potentially jeopardizing related Sustainable Development Goals. The authors emphasize the need for global cooperation, particularly across four regions, to responsibly manage waste disposal. Waste leakage to aquatic ecosystems is a major concern threatening biodiversity as well […]
Efficient water quality management could reduce future water scarcity by half
Global water scarcity, a result of both quantity and quality change, challenges the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. An international team of researchers developed a novel modeling approach to identify cost-effective combinations of water management, promising a substantial reduction in future water scarcity. More than half of the world’s population lives in areas […]
How can we evaluate the quality of global water models?
A new international study has tested the extent to which global water models agree with one another and with observational data. Using a new evaluation approach, the research team, which includes IIASA researchers, can show in which climate regions the models agree and where they differ. Global water models are essential tools for understanding the water […]
Solar powered irrigation: a game-changer for small-scale farms in sub-Saharan Africa
A new study finds that standalone solar photovoltaic irrigation systems have the potential to meet more than a third of the water needs for crops in small-scale farms across sub-Saharan Africa.
Challenges ahead: navigating climate change and water management
Freshwater is vital for humans, ecosystems, and economies. However, climate and socio-economic changes are expected to substantially alter water availability. A pioneering study emphasizes considering future water withdrawals in low flow projections, highlighting the urgency of coordinated efforts to reduce excessive extraction in European rivers. Water availability is limited, and several socio-economic sectors compete for […]
An integrated modeling framework to assess surface and groundwater resources
Against the backdrop of climate change and rising water demand, tools for adequately modeling water availability are much needed. In a new study, researchers applied a large-scale model linking surface water to groundwater, which can be used for estimating water resources at a high spatial resolution. Groundwater – the water contained in porous and fractured […]
We are running out of time to counteract global change
The increase in emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere is only one of several serious global threats to our continued existence on Earth, and their reduction is at the core of international agreements like the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Together with Ukrainian colleagues, IIASA researchers took a novel approach to […]
Electric Truck Hydropower, a flexible solution to hydropower in mountainous regions
Mountain regions have a large potential for hydropower that cannot be harnessed effectively by conventional technologies. IIASA researcher Julian Hunt and an international team of researchers developed an innovative hydropower technology based on electric trucks that could provide a flexible and clean solution for electricity generation in mountainous regions. In our transition towards a more […]