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When atmospheric scientist Mark Lawrence visited Kathmandu nearly 10 years ago, he got sick from air pollution - really sick. The Scientific Director of the IASS talked to a local shopkeeper, who told him he and many others also frequently had this horrible cough. Years later this inspired Mark to get his colleague Maheswar Rupakheti on board and start investigating and tackling the issue, to improve both people's health as well as reduce the regional climate impact. Learn more about short-lived climate forcing pollutants from Mark and IASS researcher Charlotte Unger, who met with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition...

When people don’t trust each other and their political systems, things essential for sustainability – like walkable cities and resilient communities – move out of reach. But citizens can become active in science in order to improve their own lives, and there are ways to turn warring factions into groups working together. Fixing the climate thus requires mending gaps that divide us, and it can be done, concludes IASS Senior Fellow Craig Morris.

Around the world, climate cases are being brought to court. What role do they play? Researcher Patrick Toussaint explains what climate justice is about, and shares his research on the role of marginalized communities in the decision-making process at the climate summits. Spoiler: They don't really have a say yet, he says.

Two big topics at this year's climate summit are the oceans and financing actions against climate change. In Torsten Thiele's research work, both areas merge: The oceans have a huge influence on our global climate, and on human wellbeing. But it takes a lot of money to really understand and protect them. So Torsten is looking into innovative and holistic ways of Ocean Finance.

Hauke van der Linden, soon-to-be intern at IASS, shares his first impressions at the UN Climate Change Conference 2017, and explains why he's so intrigued by research in the field of Earth System Governance.

Sonja Thielges, IASS expert for climate and energy policy, on the impact of the Trump administration's decision to drop out of the Paris Agreement on this year's UN climate talks at COP23 in Bonn, Germany.

There’s lots of information about the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Accord, but most of it focuses on the targets themselves, not the process that led to their creation. But if we understand how such policies are negotiated, we can better understand why they fall short in some areas and are breakthroughs in others. By IASS Senior Fellow Craig Morris.

What's COP23 about? Kathleen Mar, atmospheric chemist and scientist at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) in Potsdam, on this year's UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, and why it matters.

What’s the best way to raise awareness and engagement about climate change? Should we stress the urgency, thereby risking scaring people away? Or should we emphasize hope – at the risk of understating the challenge? Join IASS Senior Fellow Craig Morris in his talks with lecturers and participants at the Potsdam Summer School for a discussion.

In September 2017, some 40 young professionals from around the world came to Potsdam, Germany, for 10 days of lectures and workshops on the sustainability of cities and communities at the Potsdam Summer School. IASS Senior Fellow Craig Morris recorded their thoughts and conversations with his audio recorder to find out how society can tackle major challenges of the future. Stay tuned for his upcoming podcast, and join him on the journey!