SDSN Global Climate Hub Report: Modelling Net Zero Pathways

During its first year, the Global Climate Hub has initiated a holistic approach to climate, economic, and energy modelling to deliver a first set of results. The process described in this report consist of a thorough review and assessment of potent Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) and the delineation of a first set of sustainable pathways on the EU energy sector, the deployment, and effects of renewable energy transition in Southeast Asia and the development of sustainable pathways for land-use and food systems in Greece. In addition, the researchers of the GCH are examining interlinkages and complementarities across diverse IAMs which will yield horizontal and vertical synergies and elaborate on the potential pathways to net zero for 2050. The aim of this report is to present the work of the Global Climate Hub on net zero pathways, mirroring the work undertaken in some of its distinct units. Having established the benchmark in the current state of environmental indicators and environmental policies (operating and designed), the GCH is currently collating and evaluating scientific methods embedded in modelling systems in order to integrate strands of research into coherent environmental, energy and socioeconomic pathways. Section 2 briefly summarizes the review of Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) which form the multi-dimension scientific arsenal in the pathways’ development, while section 3 outlines a first set of results stemming from energy and land-use models. More specifically, section 3.1 addresses the issue of decarbonization of the EU energy system as envisioned in the Fit-for-55 and RePowerEU initiatives through the projections of the BALMOREL model. Section 3.2 describes the pivotal role of renewable energy for bolstering ecosystems services in Southeast Asia and section 3.3 summarizes the key tenets of sustainable and-use and food system pathways for Greece using the FABLE Calculator. Finally, section 4 describes the potential for system integration under the auspices of the GCH and highlights the areas for future work in promoting net zero pathways.

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