As one of the world’s leading sustainability-focused research networks, AE4RIA remains dedicated to providing science-based solutions that drive the global transition toward sustainable interactions between nature, society, and the economy.

This Report provides a comprehensive overview of our 2025 milestones, including research achievements, interdisciplinary projects, international collaborations, flagship publications, policy advisory engagements, and key institutional developments. It also highlights our active participation in major global forums, our leadership roles in international scientific advisory processes, and our continued commitment to translating rigorous research into practical, scalable, and finance-aligned solutions.

AE4RIA Research Report 2025
AE4RIA Outreach Report 2025

Το άρθρο Annual Activity Report 2025 | AE4RIA εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.

As we conclude another year of global impact, we are reminded of the common purpose that underpins all our efforts: advancing a truly science-based interface for sustainability—rooted in systems thinking and reinforced through continuous dialogue between science, policy, and society.

We warmly thank our partners, colleagues, and the broader community for their ongoing engagement and support throughout the year, and we look forward to sharing new developments and initiatives in the year ahead.

Read the full report 

Το άρθρο Activity Report: November–December 2025 | AE4RIA εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.

The paper presents a competencies-gap analysis framework that underpins the design of 70 specialised, modular courses developed within the EU-funded CATALYST project. The framework aligns education, research collaboration, and business needs, supporting upskilling and reskilling in areas including sustainable development, the circular economy, organisational transformation, and change management, fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About the CATALYST Project
CATALYST (European VET Excellence Centre for Leading Sustainable Systems and Business Transformation) is an Erasmus+ Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) project that supports SMEs and learners across Europe in the green and digital transition. The project promotes innovation, applied learning, and sustainable business transformation through tailored vocational education and training programmes and strong education–industry collaboration.
Prof. Phoebe Koundouri serves as Principal Investigator of the CATALYST project at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) / ReSEES Research Laboratory.

Authors
Lydia Papadaki; Ebun Akinsete (PhD); Panagiota Koltsida; Angelina Taneva-Veshoska; Ana Tomikj; Eleni Toli; Slavica Trajkovska; and Prof. Phoebe Koundouri

Το άρθρο New Publication: Catalysing Business Transformation through Research Collaboration and Course Development εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.

Drawing on the latest findings from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the discussion highlighted that 2025 is expected to rank as the second warmest year ever recorded globally. This development was presented not as an isolated occurrence, but as part of a persistent and well-documented trend of rising global temperatures.

Prof. Phoebe Koundouri underlined that this warming trend is intensifying the frequency, duration, and severity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods, and wildfires. These phenomena impose substantial social and economic costs, with far-reaching consequences for public health, labour productivity, critical infrastructure, energy systems, and food security.

The interview further emphasized that while the necessary scientific knowledge, data, technologies, and solutions already exist, the central challenge lies in effective implementation. This requires sustained capacity building, robust monitoring frameworks, and strong international cooperation.

Watch the interview (in Greek)

Το άρθρο Prof. Phoebe Koundouri in an Interview on MEGA News COSMOS: 2025 Climate Trends and Their Socioeconomic Implications εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.

The Award of Excellence of the Republic of Cyprus is bestowed upon distinguished and leading personalities in the sciences, letters, and arts who have made significant and internationally recognised contributions in their respective fields. It honours individuals connected to Cyprus who have made a decisive contribution to advancing the sciences, letters, or arts, either in Cyprus or abroad.

Below is the speech delivered by Professor Phoebe Koundouri during the ceremony held on Monday, 15 December 2025, at the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Cyprus.

In English: 

Your Excellency, President of the Republic of Cyprus,
Honourable President and Honourable Members of the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts,
Dear colleagues,
Beloved relatives and friends,

The honour is immense. Over the thirty years of my academic career, I have been elected a member of a number of global, European, and national academies, and I have been elected president of several international and European scientific organisations. The Excellence Award of the Republic of Cyprus holds a special place in my heart, because it comes from my homeland—from the country that taught me my first letters, from the country that gave me magical childhood and adolescent years, and above all from a country which, although small, produces scientific talent of global stature that truly excels, whether based in Cyprus or abroad. Indeed, the scientific potential of our country makes me proud of my origin, and the most shining example of this potential is the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts.

Those first lessons and the universities at which I studied and taught—the University of Cambridge, UCL, the LSE, the University of Reading, the Technical University of Denmark, and the Athens University of Economics and Business—shaped me as a scientist. Today, my professorial chair is shared between the Athens University of Economics and Business and the University of Cambridge. When I began my career, interdisciplinarity was not accepted. Yet I understood that the problems facing humanity are multisystemic and, as such, cannot be solved within the narrow confines of a single discipline. I saw the need for interdisciplinary research.

Today’s polycrisis—across the economy (low growth rates, one third of countries facing bankruptcy), society (rising inequalities, demographic crisis, energy and food insecurity), the environment (the climate crisis and the collapse of ecosystems), as well as geopolitics—cannot be addressed without the development of an interdisciplinary framework of analysis. For thirty years, my research has been devoted to creating this framework.

Today, my research centre AE4RIA, the largest team in the world working on the transition to sustainability, has succeeded in attracting more than €500 million in competitive research funding and focuses on the development of innovative, human-centred, mathematical systems for sustainable interaction between nature, the economy, and society, as well as for achieving the UN 2030 Agenda.

In 2015, 193 countries signed the UN 2030 Agenda: 17 Sustainable Development Goals (with 169 targets) for the transition to a future in which human well-being can support economic efficiency, social justice, and social cohesion, without undermining ecosystem resilience. My research develops dynamic digital twins that maximise social welfare through interventions consisting of optimal mixes of governance policies, technologies, and financial and fiscal instruments, leading to sustainable development and the achievement of all 17 goals in the short, medium, and long term.

And what a joy it is that the Secretary-General of the United Nations appointed me Chief Scientist of the Global Sustainable Development Report. At the same time, through the UN Global Climate Hub, which I direct, the results of our research—the digital twins of interaction between nature, the economy, and society that we have developed—are shaping solutions and policies in more than 120 countries, in collaboration with numerous international and multilateral organisations.

This award is dedicated to the people who shaped me. First and foremost, to my father, Christos Koundouri, a brilliant and open mind, a true citizen of the world, who through his unconditional support and love gave me the self-confidence that a scientist needs in order to lead, as well as a deep sense of responsibility for excellence as service to society. To my mother, Chrysi Koundouri, the joy and strength of our lives. To my sister, Marianna Motsoulidou, a person of integrity who is always by my side.

Finally, to my husband, Professor Nikitas Pittis, without whom I cannot define myself, and with whom soul and mind exist in an eternal creative harmony. And to our three children—Chrysilia (a graduate of the Athens College and a student at the University of London), Billie, and Athena (students at Athens College)—the source of our resilience and happiness.

In Greek: 

Αξιότιμε Πρόεδρε της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας,
Αξιότιμε Πρόεδρε και αξιότιμα Μέλη της Κυπριακής Ακαδημίας Επιστημών, Γραμμάτων και Τεχνών,
Αγαπητοί συνάδελφοι,
Αγαπημένοι συγγενείς και φίλοι,

Η τιμή είναι μεγάλη. Στα τριάντα χρόνια της ακαδημαϊκής μου καριέρας έχω εκλεγεί μέλος σε αριθμό παγκόσμιων, ευρωπαϊκών και εθνικών ακαδημιών και έχω εκλεγεί πρόεδρος σε αριθμό επιστημονικών παγκόσμιων και ευρωπαϊκών επιστημονικων οργανισμών. Το Αριστείο της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας έχει ξεχωριστή θέση στην καρδιά μου, διότι έρχεται από τον τόπο μου, από τη χώρα που μου έμαθε τα πρώτα γράμματα, απο την χωρα που μου έδωσε μαηικά παιδικά και εφηβικά χρόνια, μα πάνω απ’ολα τη χωρα που αν και μικρη παραγει παγκοσμιας εμβελειας επιστημονικο δυναμικο που πραγματικα μεγαλουργει ειτε η βαση του ειναι η Κυπρος ειτε το εξωτερικο. Πραγματικα το επιστημονικο δυναμικο της χωρας μασ με κανει περιφανη για την καταγωγη μου και το πιο λαμπρο δειγμα αυτου του δυναμικου είναι η Κυπριακη ακαδημια Επιστημων Γραμματων και Τεχνων

Αυτά τα πρώτα γράμματα και τα πανεπιστήμια στα οποία φοίτησα και δίδαξα —το Πανεπιστήμιο του Κέιμπριτζ, το UCL, το LSE, το University of Reading, το Πολυτεχνείο της Δανίας και το Οικονομικό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών— με διαμόρφωσαν ως επιστήμονα. Σήμερα, η καθηγητική μου έδρα μοιράζεται μεταξύ του Οικονομικού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών και του University of Cambridge. Όταν άρχισα την καριέρα μου, η διεπιστημονικότητα δεν ήταν αποδεκτή. Εγώ όμως καταλάβαινα ότι τα προβλήματα που αντιμετωπίζει η ανθρωπότητα είναι πολυσυστημικά και, ως τέτοια, δεν μπορούν να λυθούν στα στεγανά πλαίσια μίας μόνο επιστήμης. Έβλεπα την ανάγκη για διεπιστημονική έρευνα.

Η σημερινή πολυκρίση στην οικονομία (χαμηλοί ρυθμοί ανάπτυξης, το ένα τρίτο των χωρών σε χρεοκοπία), στην κοινωνία (αυξανόμενες ανισότητες, πληθυσμιακή κρίση, ενεργειακή και επισιτιστική ανασφάλεια), στο περιβάλλον (κλιματική κρίση, κατάρρευση των οικοσυστημάτων), καθώς και η γεωπολιτική κρίση, δεν μπορεί να αντιμετωπιστεί χωρίς τη διαμόρφωση ενός διεπιστημονικού πλαισίου μελέτης. Εδώ και τριάντα χρόνια ερευνώ για να δημιουργηθεί αυτό το πλαίσιο.

Σήμερα, το ερευνητικό μου κέντρο AE4RIA, η μεγαλύτερη ομάδα στον κόσμο που εργάζεται στη μετάβαση προς την αειφορία, έχει καταφέρει να προσελκύσει πάνω από 500 εκατομμύρια σε ανταγωνιστικά ερευνητικά κονδύλια και εστιάζει στην ανάπτυξη καινοτόμων, ανθρωποκεντρικών, μαθηματικών συστημάτων για την αειφόρο αλληλεπίδραση μεταξύ της φύσης, της οικονομίας και της κοινωνίας, καθώς και για την επίτευξη της Ατζέντας 2030 του ΟΗΕ.

Το 2015, 193 χώρες υπέγραψαν την Ατζέντα 2030 του ΟΗΕ: 17 Στόχους Βιώσιμης Ανάπτυξης (169 επιμέρους στόχους) για τη μετάβαση σε ένα μέλλον όπου η ευημερία των λαών θα μπορεί να υποστηρίζει την οικονομική αποτελεσματικότητα, την κοινωνική δικαιοσύνη και συνοχή, χωρίς να υπονομεύει την ανθεκτικότητα των οικοσυστημάτων. Η δική μου έρευνα δημιουργεί δυναμικά ψηφιακά δίδυμα που μεγιστοποιούν την κοινωνική ευημερία μέσω παρεμβάσεων οι οποίες αποτελούνται από βέλτιστα μείγματα διαχειριστικών πολιτικών, τεχνολογιών, καθώς και χρηματοοικονομικών και δημοσιονομικών εργαλείων, τα οποία οδηγούν στην αειφόρο ανάπτυξη και στην επίτευξη των 17 στόχων σήμερα, στον μεσοπρόθεσμο και στον μακροπρόθεσμο ορίζοντα.

Και τι χαρά! Ο Γενικός Γραμματέας των Ηνωμένων Εθνών με έχρισε επικεφαλής επιστήμονα της Παγκόσμιας Έκθεσης για την Αειφόρο Ανάπτυξη. Παράλληλα, μέσω του Παγκόσμιου Κόμβου για το Κλίμα του ΟΗΕ, τον οποίο διευθύνω, τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνάς μας —τα ψηφιακά δίδυμα αλληλεπίδρασης μεταξύ φύσης, οικονομίας και κοινωνίας που έχουμε αναπτύξει— καθορίζουν λύσεις και πολιτικές σε πάνω από 120 χώρες, σε συνεργασία με πλήθος διεθνών και πολυμερών οργανισμών.

Το βραβείο αυτό είναι αφιερωμένο στους ανθρώπους που με καθορισαν. Πρώτα απ’ όλους στον πατέρα μου, Χρίστο Κούντουρη, λαμπρό και ανοιχτό μυαλό, ενα πολιτη του κοσμου, που με την αμέριστη υποστήριξή και αγαπη του μου έδωσε την αυτοπεποίθηση που χρειάζεται ένας επιστήμονας για να ηγηθεί, καθώς και την αίσθηση της ευθύνης της αριστεία που αφορα στην προσφορα στο κοινωνικο συνολο. Στη μητέρα μου, Χρύση Κούντουρη, τη χαρά και τη δύναμη της ζωής μας. Στην αδελφή μου, Μαριάννα Μοτσουλίδου, έναν ακέραιο άνθρωπο που είναι παντα κοντα μου.

Τελος στο σύζυγό μου, Καθηγητή Νικήτα Πίττη, χωρίς τον οποίο δεν μπορώ να ορίσω τον εαυτό μου, και με τον οποίο η ψυχή και το μυαλό βρίσκονται σε ενα αεανο δημιουργικό συντονισμό. Και στα τρία μας παιδιά, Χρυσηλία (αποφοιτο Κολλεγιου Αθηνων και φοιτητρια του Πανεπιστημιου του Λονδινου), Μπίλλυ και Αθηνά (μαθητριες στο Κολλεγιο Αθηνων) την ανθεκτικότητα και την ευτυχία μας.

Το άρθρο Professor Phoebe Koundouri Honoured with the Award of Excellence of the Republic of Cyprus εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.

We are pleased to share with you the Conference Report of the European Conference of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis (SBCA) 2025, held on 27–28 November 2025 at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB).

The conference brought together researchers, policymakers and practitioners from across Europe and beyond, featuring more than 70 presentations and rich academic exchange on the role of benefit–cost analysis in evidence-based public policy. Hosted by AUEB and its Research Laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (ReSEES), under the scientific leadership of Professor Phoebe Koundouri, the event addressed key themes including climate neutrality, energy transitions, social policy, open science, digital governance and urban development, and proved to be a successful and intellectually productive meeting for the SBCA community.

Access the Conference Report here

Το άρθρο European Conference of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis (SBCA) 2025 | Conference Report εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.

In this era of persistent and interconnected crises across natural, economic, and social systems, we must develop science-based, systems-oriented solution pathways that can dynamically guide countries toward meeting their national commitments on climate action, energy security, biodiversity protection, food security, and socio-economic development. The mission of AE4RIA – Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Αephoria and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network SDSN Global Climate Hub is to co-design with national stakeholders these systems-oriented solution pathways for every country.

The article presents—for the first time—a fully integrated energy–land–water modelling nexus to assess Greece’s transition to climate neutrality. This interdisciplinary approach captures the real-world complexity of national climate strategies, where decisions in one sector create ripple effects across others.

Using a linked suite of models—including the FABLE Calculator, LEAP, WaterReqGCH, LandReqCalcGCH, and BiofuelGCH—the analysis examines how Greece’s key energy, agricultural, and water policies interact and what these interactions imply for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Key findings include:

• Energy-related emissions could decline almost fivefold by 2050 under optimistic, fully coordinated policy implementation.
• Total energy demand could decrease by approximately 20%, driven by efficiency improvements and structural changes.
• Domestic biofuel production potential can significantly support further decarbonisation.
• Current strategies often underestimate important interdependencies, including land requirements for renewable energy deployment and trade-offs across land–water–energy policies.
• Governance, planning, and infrastructure limitations remain major obstacles, highlighting the need for unified, ambitious, systems-based implementation.

The article is authored by Phoebe Koundouri, Angelos Alamanos, Ioannis Arampatzidis, Stathis Devves, Konstantinos Dellis, and Chris Deranian.

Reference:
Koundouri, P., Alamanos, A., Arampatzidis, I. et al. (2025). Assessing national climate-neutrality plans through a modelling nexus lens: the case of Greece. npj Climate Action, 4, 113. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44168-025-00318-2

Το άρθρο New Publication in Nature Climate Action εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.

Prof. Phoebe Koundouri shares the launch of the BRIDGE Black Sea Policy Brief at the Final Conference in Brussels, highlighting the Digital Twin Ocean Demonstrator developed under the Horizon 2020 BRIDGE-BS project.

This Digital Twin Ocean integrates environmental monitoring, climate scenarios, ecosystem resilience, and decision-support tools into a virtual representation of the Black Sea. It supports policymakers in identifying a safe operating space for blue economy activities within ecosystem boundaries, with projections extending to 2050 and 2100.

As Principal Investigator at the Athens University of Economics and Business for BRIDGE-BS, Prof. Koundouri emphasizes how this research contributes to more informed, resilient, and inclusive governance of the Black Sea.

The Policy Brief can be accessed here.

Το άρθρο BRIDGE Black Sea Policy Brief: Guiding Smarter Decisions for a Sustainable Blue Economy εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.

She highlighted Greece’s exceptionally high absorption rate of 50–59%, which reflects the country’s strong progress in delivering mature and impactful investments. Prof. Koundouri emphasised that the next EU framework will continue to prioritise the green transition, digitalisation and overall resilience, and underlined that Europe’s long-term competitiveness must be built on innovation, decarbonisation and strategic autonomy.

Watch the full interview (in Greek)

Το άρθρο Prof. Phoebe Koundouri on the Future of the Greek & European Economy εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.

 Read the paper 

Authors: Michalis Chondros, Andreas Papadimitriou, Anastasios Metallinos, Vasiliki Chalastani, Conrad Landis, Dimitris Spyrou, Chrysi Laspidou, Prof. Phoebe Koundouri and Vasiliki Tsoukala—for their collaboration within the Horizon 2020 ARSINOE_EU project .

ARSINOE is an EU-funded project focusing on the development of climate-resilient regions through systemic solutions and innovations. The project integrates the Systems Innovation Approach (SIA) and the Climate Innovation Window (CIW) to build an ecosystem for climate-change adaptation solutions, demonstrated through nine proof-of-concept cases, including the “Mediterranean Ports” demonstrator.

Το άρθρο New Publication on Climate Change Impacts in Mediterranean Ports εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Ae4ria.