Page - 12 - in options, Volume winter 2014/2015

12 options + winter 2014/2015 www.iiasa.ac.at T raditionally, different sectors of society focus on their own challenges. Until now, no one has assembled an interdisciplinary team with different emphases and perspectives, able to view complex problems, such  as inequality, from unusual, unconventional, or unexpected angles. The newly formed Alpbach–Laxenburg Group (ALG) aims to bridge this gap by bringing together leading minds from academia, governments, business, civil society, and the arts to develop positive narratives on issues of global transformation. The group’s first focus is inequality, and in a high level retreat during the 2014 European Forum Alpbach, the  group discussed how inequality should be a primary focus for the post-2015  Sustainable Development Goals. The retreat concluded with a plenary session at the European Forum Alpbach Political Symposium, where the key issues of generational inequality and inequality in energy and climate were discussed. Lack of energy access translates into limited opportunities for education and employment, as well as negative health impacts, which primarily affect women and children. Generational inequality refers to the greater burden on the world’s young people, who face high unemployment and challenging economic prospects for the future.A INEQUALITY Reflecting on How IIASA is creating positive narratives for the path to sustainable development