Science and innovation
Natural environment & resources
As environmental challenges intensify across Europe, addressing water quality, biodiversity loss and climate change is more important than ever. From analysing Europe’s rivers and advancing climate change models to optimizing agricultural water use and spearheading conservation efforts, LIST is at the forefront of shaping sustainable strategies to empower policymakers and industries to act with precision and foresight, ensuring a resilient future for ecosystems and communities alike.
Assessing Europe’s rivers: progress and ongoing challenges
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LIST contributed to a major study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, analysing water quality and biodiversity in European rivers.
The findings showed that while ecological conditions improved after the 1990s, progress has since stalled, with 60–80% of rivers still failing to achieve good ecological status.
In Luxembourg, LIST’s long-term monitoring efforts confirmed these trends. The study also revealed a complex relationship between water quality and biodiversity, highlighting the need for better metrics and baseline data. As pressures like climate change and pollution persist, LIST’s research provides key insights to inform future river management policies.
Sarah Vray, Senior R&T engineer, stated:
"Our research clearly shows that improved water quality doesn’t automatically translate into better biodiversity outcomes. Biodiversity responds in complex and sometimes contradictory ways, depending on the metrics we use and the scale we examine. That’s why we need to move beyond a single-indicator approach and adopt more nuanced, multi-metric frameworks to truly understand ecological health. At LIST, we’re committed to supporting evidence-based policy with robust data, helping ensure that biodiversity goals in Europe are grounded in scientific reality rather than oversimplified assumptions."
Read more about our scientific breakthroughs
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Climate change as a growing threat to biodiversity
A major study authored by LIST researchers and published in Science found that climate change is overtaking land-use change as the primary driver of biodiversity loss. LIST’s research played a key role in refining global models, providing more accurate assessments of human impacts on ecosystems. These insights are crucial for shaping conservation strategies that can adapt to a rapidly changing climate.
Read the study.
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Butterflies in Luxembourg face significant conservation challenges
New findings on the richness, conservation status and spatial distribution of butterflies in Luxembourg have been published in a comprehensive atlas. Based on more than 150,000 records from the past two centuries, the book, edited by LIST scientists, highlighted concerning trends for numerous butterfly species and the need to pursue conservation efforts.
By offering unprecedented insights and management guidelines, LIST has supported policymakers, researchers and conservationists.
Explore the Atlas.
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Optimizing crop water use: a vital step for agricultural sustainability
As water scarcity and climate change threaten global food production, LIST’s research emphasizes the need for efficient water management. Our commentary in Nature Water highlights how satellite technology can optimize irrigation, particularly in drought-prone regions like California.
These innovations set the stage for smarter water management across Europe and Africa, supporting long-term agricultural resilience.
More about the commentary.
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Setting the pace in biotechnology
In September 2024, LIST hosted the prestigious Biopartitioning and Purification Conference, gathering leading researchers and industry professionals to explore advancements in separation technologies.
Under the leadership of Marcelo Fernandez Lahore, LIST showcased cutting-edge innovations with applications in pharmaceuticals, agriculture and environmental sustainability.
Watch the video.
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Pioneering sustainable agriculture
LIST is spearheading the LIFE project, a groundbreaking initiative launched in July 2024 to transform agricultural waste into safe, sustainable fertilizers for hydroponic farming.
By combining biotechnology and digital twin technology, the Institute and its partners monitor and control the fertilizer production process, enhancing crop yields and resource efficiency. A concrete step toward more resilient and climate-smart agriculture.
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Strengthening disaster response for global aid
In October 2024, LIST has launched a strategic AI partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Luxembourg government to fight global hunger.
With its expertise in Earth Observation, LIST plays a key role in enhancing the WFP’s SKAI platform, a tool for rapid damage assessment, to predict and evaluate crop and infrastructure damage from climate-related disasters. This collaboration highlights LIST’s commitment to driving impactful solutions that advance humanitarian actions.
Find out more about this collaboration.
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Shaping resilient forests for the future
Since October 2024 the Institute has been coordinating FORFUS, a cross-disciplinary doctoral training programme focused on strengthening forest resilience in the face of climate change.
Hosting no less than 13 PhDs and a postdoc, the project investigates forest dynamics from root systems to remote sensing, providing the science and skills to safeguard tomorrow’s forests.
Discover more about FORFUS.
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