UNU research focuses on the challenges faced by the United Nations and its Member States. Our current research portfolio supports all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015 to inspire global action to overcome the world’s biggest challenges.
Project
Global Challenges & Human Wellbeing
The project explores the multifaceted impacts of global challenges on well-being in high income economic and democratic countries.
Project
Foresight Review on Nature Positive Engineering
Together with a number of partners, and with Lloyd’s Register Foundation, we are developing a new Foresight Review on Nature Positive Engineering, aimed at exploring how engineering practices can protect, restore, and enhance natural ecosystems.
Project
COST Action COST CliMent – Climate Change Impants on Mental Health in Europe
This COST European Action aims to maintain its individual and societal well-being amidst the challenges posed by climate change.
Collection
Digital Agriculture and AI for Climate-Resilient Smallholder Farming in Zimbabwe
Smallholder farmers play a central role in Zimbabwe's food systems and rural livelihoods. Yet their productivity, resilience, and income generation remain constrained by persistent structural barriers.
Series
Seed Projects
UNU‑EGOV explores emerging initiatives to create innovative ideas and validate their potential before moving to later development stages.
Collection
Global Water Bankruptcy
Living Beyond our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era
Series
Impact
Impact from UNU work
Collection
Accelerating Progress on the Water-energy-food-ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus in Sub-saharan Africa
Inter-Agency Policy Brief – December 2025
Collection
THE DROUGHT-MIGRATION- CONFLICT NEXUS Was the Syrian Civil War Really Caused by Climate Change?
Investigating how climate stress, agriculture, and governance shaped Syria’s crisis beyond a single drought event.
Series
Visiting Fellows (UNU-CRIS)
Visiting Fellows are “fellows-in-residence” who participate in the activities of UNU-CRIS.