Activity Report
How Japan’s Experience will be able to Contribute to the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities
Founding of the Institute
In October 1972 at the height of the Cold War, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) was founded as an international research organisation conducting policy-oriented research. The IIASA project was to use scientific cooperation to build bridges across the Cold War divide and to research common mature society problems. Both East and West blocs left their political positions, and joined together to establish an independent (non-governmental) based International Research Institute.
After the ease of strained relationship between East and West, IIASA started to focus its research on solving global scale problems mainly in the field of systems analysis. IIASA has become one of the world’s leading international research institutes, with specialists like recipients of the Nobel Prize as well as IPCC lead authors. In recent years, developing countries have joined IIASA, and now the main issues of research are shifting from East-West problems to North-South problems (poverty, food, equality, etc.)
National Member Organisations (NMOs)・Regional Member Organisations (RMOs)
Austria, China, Egypt, Finland, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Slovak Republic, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vietnam (Total of 18 countries), Sub-Saharan Africa Region (1 region consisting of 17 countries: Botswana, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe)
Observer: Brazil (Membership for 2011-2022), Indonesia (Membership for 2012-2023)
IIASA’s Research
The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is an international research institute that applies advances systems analysis to identify policy solutions to reduce human footprints, enhance the resilience of natural and socioeconomic systems, and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Through its research programs and initiatives, IIASA conducts policy-oriented research into issues that are too large or complex to be solved by a single country or academic discipline. This includes pressing concerns that affect the future of all of humanity, such as climate change, energy security, population aging, and sustainable development.
Currently IIASA research is based on six programmes
- Advancing Systems Analysis (ASA)
- Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR)
- Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE)
- Population and Just Society (POPJUS)
- Economic Frontiers (EF)
- Strategic Initiatives (SI)
Capacity Building for the next generation
From 1977, IIASA has conducted the “Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP)”. YSSP is held at IIASA headquarters from June through August. The programme accepts about 50 young scientists (post doctorate degree students) nominated by each country and they work within the Institute’s Research Programs under the guidance of IIASA scientific staff.
More about YSSP: https://iiasa.ac.at/opportunities/yssp
Organisation
| Council | IIASA’s core decision-making organisation, and council is formed by the representative of the National Member Organisation and Regional Member Organisation. A Council Meeting is held twice a year. Currently, the chair is Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto. Within the Council, there are 4 committees: Executive, Finance, Risk and Audit, Membership and Programme and Capacity Development. |
| Director General | Prof. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber |
| Employees | 442 Researchers (249 Fulltime) (in 2023) |
| Finances | Annual Funding is around EUR26,105,500 in 2023. Operational Funds are covered by contribution from National Member Organizations (NMOs) contribution (around EUR10,155,500 in 2023) and commissioned work, as well as donations. |
The Japan Committee for IIASA
Japan established the Japan Committee for IIASA at the same time that the IIASA was founded in 1972. The Japan Committee of IIASA was organised by persons with academic standing, and has cooperated with IIASA for its operation and development. Currently, Dr.Kazuhiko Takemoto, President, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC) is the Chair of the Japan Committee for IIASA. and serves as a Council Member of IIASA representing Japan. The Japan Committee for IIASA is made up of a total of 7 committee members.
Members (as of 20 August 2024)
| Chair | Kazuhiko TAKEMOTO (Council Member, IIASA) | President, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Centre (OECC) |
| Committee Members | Taikan OKI | Professor, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo |
| Mikiko KAINUMA | Senior Research Advisor, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) | |
| Yuichi MORIGUCHI | Vice President, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) | |
| Kanako MORITA | Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Keio University | |
| Kenji YAMAJI | President, Research Institute for Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) | |
| Kensuke FUJISHI | Director, Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo | |
| Observer | Office of International Cooperation in Air and Water Quality Management, Environmental Management Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan | |
| The Japan Committee for IIASA Secretariat | Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) | 2108-11 Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0115, JAPAN [email protected] |
The 2025 Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP)
The Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) is an annual three-month program for young scientists organised by IIASA from June to August. The programme is open to PhD students working on topics compatible with ongoing research at IIASA, and provides participants with direct mentoring by experienced IIASA scientists in an academic and international research environment. They will also have the opportunity to build up contacts for future collaboration within the institute's worldwide network.
Programme areas
- Advancing Systems Analysis
- Biodiversity and Natural Resources
- Economic Frontiers
- Energy, Climate, and Environment
- Population and Just Societies
- Strategic Initiatives
The call for applications for the 2025 YSSP (Programme period: 1 June - 31 August, 2025) will be from October 2024 to January 2025.
IIASA Japan Committee Support System
The IIASA Japan Committee implemented the "IIASA Japan Committee Support System" to fund Japanese participants in the Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) in 2024 to support part of their travel expenses. In this system, the IIASA Japan Committee will make a recommendation from among those Japanese applicants left in the final selection of the YSSP in 2024, and will provide JPY300,000 as part of the travel expenses to participate in the program at IIASA. (*If you participate online, there will be no financial support from IIASA Japan Committee )
Since this system is operated based on information on those remaining applicants from the final screening provided by IIASA, there is no need to apply separately to the Japanese Committee for this support system. Any YSSP participant who received support from the IIASA Japan Committee is requested to submit a report to the Committee, after completing their participation in YSSP.
Please note that this report may be made public in order to share information between IIASA and the Japanese research community.
Contact
The Japan Committee for IIASA Secretariat
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
Strategic Management Office
2108-11 Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama Kanagawa, 240-0115, Japan
Tel: 046-855-3852 Fax: 046-855-3809 [email protected]