On Wednesday, April 5th, the hybrid workshop “Systematic Review on Integrated Assessment Models for decarbonization pathways” moderated by Prof. Jeff Sachs and Prof. Phoebe Koundouri at “Athena” Research and Innovation Centre and was organized by SDSN Global Climate Hub.
The workshop aimed to showcase the work that is being done with IAMs around the world, to provide the opportunity for IAMs experts to network, and to discuss the potential for integrating efforts toward decarbonization and adaptation pathways. Experts from Technical University of Denmark, FABLE, SDSN Asia, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), Environmental Defence Fund (EDF) and Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) presented their work on IAMs (Integrated Assessment models) and modelling techniques.
Prof. Dogan Keles (Head of section, Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark) presented the Balmorel model, a partial equilibrium model for analyzing the electricity and combined heat and power sectors in an international perspective.
Ms Maria Diaz (Manager of the FABLE Consortium) and Ms Clara Douzal (Statistician, FABLE consortium at Sustainable Development Solutions Network) presented the FABLE Calculator, a demand-driven tool with two major constraints (market equilibrium and the land balance) that projects the evolution of several indicators for the assessment of the sustainability of the food and land systems under different assumptions.
Prof Leong Yuen YOONG (Director of Sustainability Studies SDSN Asia Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur Professor at Sunway University in Kuala Lumpur), presented the ASEAN Green Future project, which objective is to undertake zero pathways analysis, focusing on two zones: Technology Road (Electricity generation and fuel supply, Surface and Marine transport and Manufacturing) and Ecosystem Growth Mappings (Ocean, Land Use, Land Use Change and forestry, Agriculture and Waste), so to provide policy recommendations and inform decision making.
Dr. Xavier Garcia Casals (Senior Expert on the Energy Transition at the Policy Unit from IRENA’s Knowledge Policy and Finance Centre) focused on the relevance of measuring the socio-economic impact of the transition, emphasizing the need to incorporate the socio-economic layer of the transition into all scenario work.
Mr. Henri Waisman (Lead Deep Decarbonization Pathways (DDP) initiative Institut du Développement Durable et des relations Internationales (IDDRI)), presented the IDDRI’s work on country-led and country-owned deep decarbonisation pathways.
Mr. Guenter Conzelmann (senior energy and environmental analyst in Argonne’s Energy Systems and Infrastructure Analysis division) presented Net Zero World Initiative, an Integrated Systems analysis to identify decarbonization pathways and investment strategies to accelerate just transition of energy systems.
Dr. Oleg Lugovoy (Lead Senior Economist Economics and Global Climate Cooperation), presented open-source models to inform action showcasing the Multi-Country Electricity Transition Potential and Challenge project which aims at increasing the reuse/re-application of models and scenarios and contribute to capacity building, extend the network and result to better informed action.
Mr. Charlie Heaps (Senior Scientist at Stockholm Environment Institute), presented the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), which is a windows-based tool for energy, climate mitigation, and air pollution mitigation planning.
The workshop concluded to work on the following deliverables:
- A review of state-of-the-art IAMS which will identify overlaps, synergies, areas that further work will be needed
- In collaboration with the European Union to Lobby for a special IPCC report on the socioeconomics narrative for climate neutrality and resilience scenarios of IPCC.
Read the extended report of SDSN GCH IAMs Workshop here
Learn more about SDSN Global Climate Hub activities here
