Enabling Early Career Sustainability Researchers to Conduct Transdisciplinary Research: Insights from Austria

Human influences on Earth's natural systems are accelerating, with anthropogenic climate and global change posing existential risks for mankind. To overcome the policy implementation gap in practice both collective and transformative actions for sustainability involving science, policy and society are urgently needed. In the realms of science, this relates to taking inter-and transdisciplinary research approaches to foster exchange and co-designing policy options between researcher, decision-makers and other societal stakeholders; however, such collaboration is often limited by time, funding and complexity constrains. This paper recognises that particularly early career climate change and sustainability researchers are exposed to both the claim for and practical challenges of inter- and transdisciplinarity. For a first qualitative investigation of Austrian early career researchers’ preparedness for conducting participatory research with societal stakeholders, this study examines perspectives of twelve early career researchers participating in a young scientists' workshop. Using a pre-post survey and analysing data by content, our findings indicate that workshop participants have to manage stakeholder processes directly after graduation and, due to a lack of methodological training, only use a small fraction of existing social science methods and participatory settings for stakeholder collaboration. To support other early career researchers and future students in Austria in developing strong inter-and transdisciplinary research skills, we highlight the added-value of integrating hands-on workshops with societal stakeholders, regular exchange of lessons learned and transdisciplinary lectures into university education. Offering more practice-oriented transdisciplinary learning activities during undergraduate education, like excursions and mini-projects in which students can develop and train participatory methods together with stakeholders under guidance, is believed to be a fruitful strategy in this context

Gestaltung von Anpassungspfaden im Klimarisikomanagement. Leitfaden für Entscheidungsträgerinnen und Entscheidungsträger

Entscheidungen im lokalen Management von klimabedingten Risiken, wie z.B. im Hochwasserrisikomanagement, erfolgen regelmäßig sehr rasch nach einem Ereignis, u.a. auch aufgrund massiven Drucks der lokalen Bevölkerung. Dabei werden meist Maßnahmen umgesetzt, die allgemein bekannt sind und dem Stand der Technik entsprechen. Diese singulären und sich an der Vergangenheit orientierenden Entscheidungen führen aber dazu, dass sich das Schadenspotential in den Gemeinden und Regionen meist weiterentwickelt und den zukünftigen Herausforderungen im Risikomanagement aufgrund des Klimawandels nur unzureichend genügt. Deshalb ist es wichtig, aktuelle Pfadabhängigkeiten frühzeitig zu erkennen und eine Entkoppelung davon zu erzielen. Nur so kann ein antizipatives Klimarisikomanagement umgesetzt und verstetigt werden, welches auch über einzelne klimabedingte Risiken hinweg agiert. Der Leitfaden „Gestaltung von Anpassungspfaden im Klimarisikomanagement“ dient als mögliche Erweiterung des „Vorsorgechecks Naturgefahren im Klimawandel“, welcher den Status Quo aller in einer Gemeinde möglichen Naturgefahren abhandelt. Dieser Leitfaden richtet sich somit vorrangig an jene österreichischen Gemeinden, die entweder bereits einen solchen „Naturgefahrencheck“ absolviert haben oder dies in Zukunft noch vorhaben. Der Leitfaden schlägt fünf konkrete Schritte vor, um im Anschluss an die Methodik des Naturgefahrenchecks (1) das Bewusstsein für die Zusammenhänge zwischen einzelnen klimabedingten Risiken zu schärfen, (2) aus den bisher gemachten Erfahrungen im Naturgefahrenmanagement für die „neuen“ Risiken zu lernen und (3) gemeinsam konkrete Maßnahmen zu entwerfen und nächste Umsetzungsschritte zu definieren, wie diese Risiken in Zukunft zusammen gedacht und proaktiv angegangen werden können. Der Leitfaden ist so aufgebaut, dass bei Bedarf auch jeder Schritt als einzelnes gesondertes Erweiterungsmodul für den „Vorsorgechecks Naturgefahren im Klimawandel“ dienen kann

Integrated assessment of short-term direct and indirect economic flood impacts including uncertainty quantification

Understanding and quantifying total economic impacts of flood events is essential for flood risk management and adaptation planning. Yet, detailed estimations of joint direct and indirect flood-induced economic impacts are rare. In this study an innovative modeling procedure for the joint assessment of short-term direct and indirect economic flood impacts is introduced. The procedure is applied to 19 economic sectors in eight federal states of Germany after the flood events in 2013. The assessment of the direct economic impacts is object-based and considers uncertainties associated with the hazard, the exposed objects and their vulnerability. The direct economic impacts are then coupled to a supply-side Input-Output-Model to estimate the indirect economic impacts. The procedure provides distributions of direct and indirect economic impacts which capture the associated uncertainties. The distributions of the direct economic impacts in the federal states are plausible when compared to reported values. The ratio between indirect and direct economic impacts shows that the sectors Manufacturing, Financial and Insurance activities suffered the most from indirect economic impacts. These ratios also indicate that indirect economic impacts can be almost as high as direct economic impacts. They differ strongly between the economic sectors indicating that the application of a single factor as a proxy for the indirect impacts of all economic sectors is not appropriate

+1,5° C: Wieviel Treibhausgase dürfen wir noch emittieren? CCCA Fact Sheet #40

Um die globale Erwärmung und somit die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels, wie im Pariser Übereinkommen festgelegt, auf +1,5 °C bzw. unter +2 °C gegenüber dem vorindustriellen Niveau (1850-1900) zu begrenzen muss für die Klimaneutralitätsziele die Gesamtmenge an Treibhausgas (THG)-Emissionen entsprechend beschränkt werden. Unter aktuellen Maßnahmenplänen, ohne zusätzliche Schritte, bewegen wir uns noch in diesem Jahrhundert auf +2,8 °C zu, was deutlich größere Schäden und Verluste zur Folge hätte. Das Factsheet basiert auf der umfangreichen Ausarbeitung in: CCCA (2022): +1,5° C: Wieviel Treibhausgase dürfen wir noch emittieren? Hintergrundpapier zu globalen und nationalen Treibhausgasbudgets. K. Steininger, T. Schinko, H. Rieder, H. Kromp-Kolb, S. Kienberger, G. Kirchengast, C. Michl, I. Schwarzl, S. Lambert. Wien: CCC

Pogostick: A New Versatile piggyBac Vector for Inducible Gene Over-Expression and Down-Regulation in Emerging Model Systems

Non-traditional model systems need new tools that will enable them to enter the field of functional genetics. These tools should enable the exploration of gene function, via knock-downs of endogenous genes, as well as over-expression and ectopic expression of transgenes.We constructed a new vector called Pogostick that can be used to over-express or down-regulate genes in organisms amenable to germ line transformation by the piggyBac transposable element. Pogostick can be found at www.addgene.org, a non-profit plasmid repository. The vector currently uses the heat-shock promoter Hsp70 from Drosophila to drive transgene expression and, as such, will have immediate applicability to organisms that can correctly interpret this promotor sequence. We detail how to clone candidate genes into this vector and test its functionality in Drosophila by targeting a gene coding for the fluorescent protein DsRed. By cloning a single DsRed copy into the vector, and generating transgenic lines, we show that DsRed mRNA and protein levels are elevated following heat-shock. When cloning a second copy of DsRed in reverse orientation into a flanking site, and transforming flies constitutively expressing DsRed in the eyes, we show that endogenous mRNA and protein levels drop following heat-shock. We then test the over-expression vector, containing the complete cDNA of Ultrabithorax (Ubx) gene, in an emerging model system, Bicyclus anynana. We produce a transgenic line and show that levels of Ubx mRNA expression rise significantly following a heat-shock. Finally, we show how to obtain genomic sequence adjacent to the Pogostick insertion site and to estimate transgene copy number in genomes of transformed individuals.This new vector will allow emerging model systems to enter the field of functional genetics with few hurdles

Insertional mutagenesis screening identifies the zinc finger homeodomain 2 (zfh2) gene as a novel factor required for embryonic leg development in Tribolium castaneum

The genetic control of leg development is well characterized in the fly Drosophila melanogaster. These control mechanisms, however, must differ to some degree between different insect species to account for the morphological diversity of thoracic legs in the insects. The legs of the flour beetle Tribolium castaneum differ from the Drosophila legs in their developmental mode as well as in their specific morphology especially at the larval stage. In order to identify genes involved in the morphogenesis of the Tribolium larval legs, we have analyzed EGFP enhancer trap lines of Tribolium. We have identified the zfh2 gene as a novel factor required for normal leg development in Tribolium. RNA interference with zfh2 function leads to two alternative classes of leg phenotype. The loss of a leg segment boundary and the generation of ectopic outgrowths in one class of phenotype suggest a role in leg segmentation and segment growth. The malformation of the pretarsal claw in the second class of phenotype suggests a role in distal development and the morphogenesis of the claw-shaped morphology of the pretarsus. This suggests that zfh2 is involved in the regulation of an unidentified target gene in a concentration-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that enhancer trap screens in T. castaneum have the potential to identify novel gene functions regulating specific developmental processes

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Systems Analysis of the 21st Century

This paper overviews research being done at IIASA with use of machine learning (ML) methods. We elaborate on promising areas of application and advantages and challenges of using ML. These reflections are done as a part of strategic planning process going on at IIASA at the moment, which aims to come up with a new research strategy for 2021-2030, as well as a supporting research plan. It has been recognized that while applications of ML in commercial sector are numerous and become more and more powerful day to day, it is not yet so common to use ML for creating societal impact. To explore the opportunities in this context and to reflect on what IIASA’s role might be, an internal working group was initiated. This paper emerged from the internal workshop held by the working group at IIASA on June 24, 2019; the workshop invited all IIASA scientists to contribute. The workshop program can be found in Appendix A to this paper

The Risk and Policy Space for Loss and Damage: Integrating Notions of Distributive and Compensatory Justice with Comprehensive Climate Risk Management

The Warsaw Loss and Damage Mechanism holds high appeal for complementing actions on climate change adaptation and mitigation, and for delivering needed support for tackling intolerable climate related-risks that will neither be addressed by mitigation nor by adaptation. Yet, negotiations under the UNFCCC are caught between demands for climate justice, understood as compensation, for increases in extreme and slow-onset event risk, and the reluctance of other parties to consider Loss and Damage outside of an adaptation framework. Working towards a jointly acceptable position we suggest an actionable way forward for the deliberations may be based on aligning comprehensive climate risk analytics with distributive and compensatory justice considerations. Our proposed framework involves in a short-medium term, needs-based perspective support for climate risk management beyond countries ability to absorb risk. In a medium-longer term, liability-based perspective we particularly suggest to consider liabilities attributable to anthropogenic climate change and associated impacts. We develop the framework based on principles of need and liability, and identify the policy space for Loss and Damage as composed of curative and transformative measures. Transformative measures, such as managed retreat, have already received attention in discussions on comprehensive climate risk management. Curative action is less clearly defined, and more contested. Among others, support for a climate displacement facility could qualify here. For both sets of measures, risk financing (such as ‘climate insurance’) emerges as an entry point for further policy action, as it holds potential for both risk management as well as compensation functions. To quantify the Loss and Damage space for specific countries, we suggest as one option to build on a risk layering approach that segments risk and risk interventions according to risk tolerance. An application to fiscal risks in Bangladesh and at the global scale provides an estimate of countries’ financial support needs for dealing with intolerable layers of flood risk. With many aspects of Loss and Damage being of immaterial nature, we finally suggest that our broad risk and justice approach in principle can also see application to issues such as migration and preservation of cultural heritage