Overview of climate-economy and energy system models

This article is authored by Rohit Reddy, research analyst, Utkarsh Patel, visiting associate fellow, CSEP and Ridhi Purohit, student, University of Chicago.

Mathematical modelling programmes have become indispensable in climate science and policy research, providing projections of greenhouse gas emissions and economic output for the analysis of climate crisis mitigation and adaptation strategies. These programmes, including Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) and Energy System Models (ESMs), facilitate evidence-based policymaking at national and international levels. This report provides a descriptive overview of selected models, highlighting their diverse applications and accessibility. IAMs such as REMIND, GCAM, IMAGE, WITCH and MESSAGE, which have been notably used in the development of the IPCC’s Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), and ESMs such as TIMES and OSeMOSYS are discussed, along with India specific models such as IESS 2047, Rumi/PIER and EPS India. The report outlines the technical attributes and features of the models, such as sectoral coverage, economic growth assumptions, modelling algorithms, optimisation methods, etc., with an emphasis on the usability and scalability of the models. Inter-model comparison tables are provided to help assess the suitability of a model for a desired application. The report also acknowledges the limitations and uncertainties in the models. Recommendations include increasing transparency and accessibility to improve the usability and integration of these tools. For reading the full paper please visit here.

Climate crisis (Representative file image)

This article is authored by Rohit Reddy, research analyst, Utkarsh Patel, visiting associate fellow, CSEP and Ridhi Purohit, student, University of Chicago.