This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.

Unclaimed
Andrea Marcello Bassi
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), 1219 Châtelaine Geneva, Switzerland

Honors and Awards

The user has no records in this section


Career Timeline

The user has no records in this section.


Short Biography

Dr. Andrea M. Bassi is the founder and CEO of KnowlEdge Srl, a consulting company exploring socio-economic and environmental complexity to inform decision making for sustainability. Dr. Bassi is also an Extraordinary Professor of System Dynamics at Stellenbosch University in South Africa and a Senior Associate at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). Dr. Bassi has 20 years of experience, supporting more than 40 governments and several international organizations primarily on green economy strategies and scenarios, climate mitigation and adaptation and sustainable development. Dr. Bassi's strengths lie primarily in the use of modeling and research techniques that focus on systems analysis, particularly System Thinking and System Dynamics. Dr. Bassi holds a Ph.D. (2009) and M.Phil. (2006) in System Dynamics at the University of Bergen, Norway, a M.Sc. in Business and Economics at LIUC, Italy (2003), and a postgraduate course in modeling the environment at the Universitad Politecnica de Catalunia in Spain (2004).

Following
Followers
Co Authors
The list of users this user is following is empty.
Following: 0 users

Feed

Journal article
Published: 02 June 2021 in Sustainability
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The European Green Deal (EGD) is the most ambitious decarbonisation strategy currently envisaged, with a complex mix of different instruments aiming at improving the sustainability of the development patterns of the European Union in the next 30 years. The intrinsic complexity brings key open questions on the cost and effectiveness of the strategy. In this paper we propose a novel methodological approach to soft-linking two modelling tools, a systems thinking (ST) and a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, in order to provide a broader ex-ante policy evaluation process. We use ST to highlight the main economic feedback loops the EGD strategy might trigger. We then quantify these loops with a scenario analysis developed in a dynamic CGE framework. Our main finding is that such a soft-linking approach allows discovery of multiple channels and spillover effects across policy instruments that might help improve the policy mix design. Specifically, positive spillovers arise from the adoption of a revenue recycling mechanism that ensures strong support for the development and diffusion of clean energy technologies. Such spillover effects benefit not only the European Union (EU) market but also non-EU countries via trade-based technology transfer, with a net positive effect in terms of global emissions reduction.

ACS Style

Andrea Bassi; Valeria Costantini; Elena Paglialunga. Modelling the European Union Sustainability Transition: A Soft-Linking Approach. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6303 .

AMA Style

Andrea Bassi, Valeria Costantini, Elena Paglialunga. Modelling the European Union Sustainability Transition: A Soft-Linking Approach. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (11):6303.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea Bassi; Valeria Costantini; Elena Paglialunga. 2021. "Modelling the European Union Sustainability Transition: A Soft-Linking Approach." Sustainability 13, no. 11: 6303.

Journal article
Published: 01 March 2021 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Multiple sectors—health and non-health—can determine the health and well-being of people and the condition of the socio-ecological environment on which it depends. At the climate and human health nexus, a systems-based understanding of climate change and health should inform all stages of the policy process from problem conceptualization to design, implementation, and evaluation. Such an understanding should guide countries, their partners, and donors to incorporate health in strategic climate actions based on how health is affected by, and plays a role in, the dynamic interactions across economic, environmental, and societal domains. A systems-based approach to sustainable development has been widely promoted but operationalizing it for project level and policy development and implementation has not been well articulated. Such an approach is especially valuable for informing how to address climate change and health together through policy actions which can achieve multiple, mutually reinforcing goals. This commentary article describes strategic steps including the complementary use of health impact assessment, quantification of health impacts, and linking climate and health actions to national and global policy processes to apply a systems-based approach for developing climate mitigation and adaptation actions with human health benefits.

ACS Style

Montira Pongsiri; Andrea Bassi. A Systems Understanding Underpins Actions at the Climate and Health Nexus. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 2398 .

AMA Style

Montira Pongsiri, Andrea Bassi. A Systems Understanding Underpins Actions at the Climate and Health Nexus. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (5):2398.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Montira Pongsiri; Andrea Bassi. 2021. "A Systems Understanding Underpins Actions at the Climate and Health Nexus." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 5: 2398.

Journal article
Published: 07 February 2021 in Sustainability
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The Orinoco river basin is the third largest river in the world by volume. Its catchment encompasses 27 major sub-basins including the Bita with a catchment area of about 825,000 ha, which originates in the Colombian high plains in the Llanos ecoregion. It has been recognized as a priority area for conservation through different gap analyses and overall determined to have good health according to the Orinoco report card 2016. The natural climate and hydrologic processes, and their synergies with flooded forests, savannas, wetlands, species diversity and local economic activities, are part of a dynamic and sensitive system. With the purpose of conserving the ecological, social and cultural benefits that it brings, the Colombian Government, with the support of regional and local civil society organizations, promoted the designation of a conservation area. Technical exercises were carried out including biological and socioeconomic surveys, local stakeholder consultations and future scenario modeling. In June 2018, the Bita River basin was designated as the largest Ramsar site in Colombia, providing a worldwide example of explicit protection of riverine systems. In order to maintain this free-flowing river, land use and fisheries management, in conjunction with other conservation actions, are being implemented and provide a model of protection for freshwater ecosystems that could be replicated elsewhere.

ACS Style

Cesar Suárez; Monica Paez-Vasquez; Fernando Trujillo; Jose Usma; Michele Thieme; Andrea Bassi; Luis Naranjo; Simon Costanzo; Oscar Manrique; Georg Pallaske; Javier Flechas. How to Protect Free Flowing Rivers: The Bita River Ramsar Site as an Example of Science and Management Tools Working Together. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1775 .

AMA Style

Cesar Suárez, Monica Paez-Vasquez, Fernando Trujillo, Jose Usma, Michele Thieme, Andrea Bassi, Luis Naranjo, Simon Costanzo, Oscar Manrique, Georg Pallaske, Javier Flechas. How to Protect Free Flowing Rivers: The Bita River Ramsar Site as an Example of Science and Management Tools Working Together. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (4):1775.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cesar Suárez; Monica Paez-Vasquez; Fernando Trujillo; Jose Usma; Michele Thieme; Andrea Bassi; Luis Naranjo; Simon Costanzo; Oscar Manrique; Georg Pallaske; Javier Flechas. 2021. "How to Protect Free Flowing Rivers: The Bita River Ramsar Site as an Example of Science and Management Tools Working Together." Sustainability 13, no. 4: 1775.

Journal article
Published: 28 October 2020 in Sustainable Production and Consumption
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The definition of Circular Economy (CE) has evolved over time. It includes intervention options for reducing consumption, improving the efficiency of production, introducing recycling and reuse for materials management, including new business models geared at waste prevention. With the use of Systems Thinking and the creation of Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) we explore how CE strategies are related to territorial dynamics and how the outcomes of such strategies can support sustainable development. We first reviewed the literature, to identify the main drivers of change (i.e. feedback loops) triggered by CE interventions. We then applied the same systemic approach to six case studies across Europe in synergy with ESPON CIRCTER project. This allowed us to review, validate and improve the general systemic approach and further explore the role that specific territorial characteristics can play in the identification, selection and effective implementation of CE interventions. We find that some of the feedback loops emerged from the case studies are not found in the literature. On the one hand, new balancing loops have emerged, representing localized challenges to the implementation of CE strategies. On the other hand, new dynamics related to behavioural change have also emerged, which lead to self-reinforcing mechanisms in the case studies analysed, creating a stronger will for the implementation of CE interventions. The main result of our research is comprehensive CLD that can be used to assess and compare different CE strategies, fully considering the complexity of the CE and its various outcomes across social, economic and environmental indicators.

ACS Style

Andrea Marcello Bassi; Marco Bianchi; Marco Guzzetti; Georg Pallaske; Carlos Tapia. Improving the understanding of circular economy potential at territorial level using systems thinking. Sustainable Production and Consumption 2020, 27, 128 -140.

AMA Style

Andrea Marcello Bassi, Marco Bianchi, Marco Guzzetti, Georg Pallaske, Carlos Tapia. Improving the understanding of circular economy potential at territorial level using systems thinking. Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2020; 27 ():128-140.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea Marcello Bassi; Marco Bianchi; Marco Guzzetti; Georg Pallaske; Carlos Tapia. 2020. "Improving the understanding of circular economy potential at territorial level using systems thinking." Sustainable Production and Consumption 27, no. : 128-140.

Book chapter
Published: 26 February 2020 in Land Use Change and Sustainability
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Peat fire and the consequent degradation of peatland have had significant negative environmental and economic consequences at national and global levels. A green economy transition path is seen as a socioeconomic solution to address peat degradation. Swamp agriculture, better known as paludiculture, is a green economy action holding promise. However, little knowledge exists on the socioeconomic outcomes of this option, vis à vis conventional development. This research is the first attempt to quantify the implications of a green economy strategy to the management of peatland, in a province where 30% of the land is peat. The research uses the system dynamics methodology to create a customized green economy assessment model, named the Central Kalimantan Green Economy model (KT-GEM). The model is used to assess how three different development scenarios perform against social, economic, and environmental indicators. The analysis shows that the business as usual (BAU) scenario leads to the highest profitability. On the other hand, positive economic performance is countered by unsustainable social and environmental outcomes. The paludiculture scenario instead curbs peat fires and externalities (e.g., cost of health) and results in the most sustainable societal outcome.

ACS Style

Andrea Marcello Bassi; Johan Kieft; Esther Boer; Teuku Mahfuzh Aufar Kari; Evi Wulanddri; Ludvig Forslund. Applying Systems Analysis to Evaluate Options for Sustainable Use of Peatlands in Central Kalimantan in Indonesia. Land Use Change and Sustainability 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Andrea Marcello Bassi, Johan Kieft, Esther Boer, Teuku Mahfuzh Aufar Kari, Evi Wulanddri, Ludvig Forslund. Applying Systems Analysis to Evaluate Options for Sustainable Use of Peatlands in Central Kalimantan in Indonesia. Land Use Change and Sustainability. 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea Marcello Bassi; Johan Kieft; Esther Boer; Teuku Mahfuzh Aufar Kari; Evi Wulanddri; Ludvig Forslund. 2020. "Applying Systems Analysis to Evaluate Options for Sustainable Use of Peatlands in Central Kalimantan in Indonesia." Land Use Change and Sustainability , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 17 August 2017 in Landscape and Urban Planning
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Like many urban areas around the world, Durham and Orange counties in North Carolina, USA are experiencing population growth and sprawl that is putting stress on the transportation system. Light rail and denser transit-oriented development are being considered as possible solutions. However, local agencies and stakeholders are concerned the light rail may worsen housing affordability and have questioned whether investment in both light rail and dense redevelopment are necessary to achieve community goals. We developed an integrated system dynamics model to quantitatively explore the outcomes of these land use and transportation options across multiple societal dimensions. The model incorporates feedbacks among the land, transportation, economic, equity, and energy sectors. This paper uses the results of four model scenarios, run between 2000 and 2040, to address two main questions: (1) what role does redevelopment play in capturing the socioeconomic benefits of transit infrastructure investment? And (2) how do redevelopment and light-rail transit interact to affect housing and transportation affordability? We find that transit investment and dense redevelopment combine synergistically to better achieve the goals of the light-rail line, including economic development, mobility, and compact growth. However, housing affordability does worsen in the combined scenario, as transportation-cost savings are not sufficient to offset the rise in housing costs. We emphasize that model users may input their own assumptions to explore the dynamics of alternative scenarios. We demonstrate how spatially-aggregated systems models can complement traditional land use and transportation models in the regional planning process.

ACS Style

L. Cox; A. Bassi; J. Kolling; A. Procter; N. Flanders; N. Tanners; R. Araujo. Exploring synergies between transit investment and dense redevelopment: A scenario analysis in a rapidly urbanizing landscape. Landscape and Urban Planning 2017, 167, 429 -440.

AMA Style

L. Cox, A. Bassi, J. Kolling, A. Procter, N. Flanders, N. Tanners, R. Araujo. Exploring synergies between transit investment and dense redevelopment: A scenario analysis in a rapidly urbanizing landscape. Landscape and Urban Planning. 2017; 167 ():429-440.

Chicago/Turabian Style

L. Cox; A. Bassi; J. Kolling; A. Procter; N. Flanders; N. Tanners; R. Araujo. 2017. "Exploring synergies between transit investment and dense redevelopment: A scenario analysis in a rapidly urbanizing landscape." Landscape and Urban Planning 167, no. : 429-440.

Journal article
Published: 28 September 2016 in Water
Reads 0
Downloads 0

An increasing global population and growing wealth are raising demand for energy and food, impacting on the environment and people living in river basins. Sectoral decision-making may not optimize socio-economic benefits because of perverse impacts in other sectors for people and ecosystems. The hydropower–food supply nexus in the Mekong River basins is assessed here in an influence model. This shows how altering one variable has consequent effects throughout the basin system. Options for strategic interventions to maximize benefits while minimizing negative impacts are identified that would enable national and sub-national policy makers to take more informed decisions across the hydropower, water and food supply sectors. This approach should be further tested to see if it may aid policy making in other large river systems around the world.

ACS Style

Jamie Pittock; David Dumaresq; Andrea M. Bassi. Modeling the Hydropower–Food Nexus in Large River Basins: A Mekong Case Study. Water 2016, 8, 425 .

AMA Style

Jamie Pittock, David Dumaresq, Andrea M. Bassi. Modeling the Hydropower–Food Nexus in Large River Basins: A Mekong Case Study. Water. 2016; 8 (10):425.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jamie Pittock; David Dumaresq; Andrea M. Bassi. 2016. "Modeling the Hydropower–Food Nexus in Large River Basins: A Mekong Case Study." Water 8, no. 10: 425.

Journal article
Published: 20 July 2016 in Environments
Reads 0
Downloads 0

This review of the study “Road to Dawei”, conducted by WWF Greater Mekong, seeks to assess economic, social and environmental impacts of road construction between Kanchanaburi, Thailand and Dawei, Myanmar. It also aims to identify relevant Green Economy policy interventions that would enhance the sustainable use and conservation of natural capital, which is considered to be a foundation for sustainable and inclusive economic development. In particular, the study concentrates on the identification of feedback loops, delays and nonlinearity in order to properly map the socio-economic and environmental system analysed and inform decision making. Results are presented for three different scenarios both for Myanmar and for Thailand. Simulation results show that a conventional approach to road construction is likely to have positive economic impacts in the region, especially in the short term, but also negative consequences for the integrity of the ecosystem, which in turn might also negatively impact on the investment itself and its economic outcomes in the medium and longer term. Further, results indicate that green economy interventions would mitigate environmental risks by creating synergies across sectors, systemically.

ACS Style

Andrea M. Bassi; Louise Ann Gallagher; Hanna Helsingen. Green Economy Modelling of Ecosystem Services along the “Road to Dawei”. Environments 2016, 3, 19 .

AMA Style

Andrea M. Bassi, Louise Ann Gallagher, Hanna Helsingen. Green Economy Modelling of Ecosystem Services along the “Road to Dawei”. Environments. 2016; 3 (4):19.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea M. Bassi; Louise Ann Gallagher; Hanna Helsingen. 2016. "Green Economy Modelling of Ecosystem Services along the “Road to Dawei”." Environments 3, no. 4: 19.

Journal article
Published: 01 March 2016 in Global Environmental Change
Reads 0
Downloads 0

This article proposes a fundamental methodological shift in the modelling of policy interventions for sustainability transitions in order to account for complexity (e.g. self-reinforcing mechanisms, such as technology lock-ins, arising from multi-agent interactions) and agent heterogeneity (e.g. differences in consumer and investment behaviour arising from income stratification). We first characterise the uncertainty faced by climate policy-makers and its implications for investment decision-makers. We then identify five shortcomings in the equilibrium and optimisation-based approaches most frequently used to inform sustainability policy: (i) their normative, optimisation-based nature, (ii) their unrealistic reliance on the full-rationality of agents, (iii) their inability to account for mutual influences among agents (multi-agent interactions) and capture related self-reinforcing (positive feedback) processes, (iv) their inability to represent multiple solutions and path-dependency, and (v) their inability to properly account for agent heterogeneity. The aim of this article is to introduce an alternative modelling approach based on complexity dynamics and agent heterogeneity, and explore its use in four key areas of sustainability policy, namely (1) technology adoption and diffusion, (2) macroeconomic impacts of low-carbon policies, (3) interactions between the socio-economic system and the natural environment, and (4) the anticipation of policy outcomes. The practical relevance of the proposed methodology is subsequently discussed by reference to four specific applications relating to each of the above areas: the diffusion of transport technology, the impact of low-carbon investment on income and employment, the management of cascading uncertainties, and the cross-sectoral impact of biofuels policies. In conclusion, the article calls for a fundamental methodological shift aligning the modelling of the socio-economic system with that of the climatic system, for a combined and realistic understanding of the impact of sustainability policies.

ACS Style

Jean-Francois Mercure; Hector Pollitt; Andrea. M. Bassi; Jorge. E Viñuales; Neil R. Edwards. Modelling complex systems of heterogeneous agents to better design sustainability transitions policy. Global Environmental Change 2016, 37, 102 -115.

AMA Style

Jean-Francois Mercure, Hector Pollitt, Andrea. M. Bassi, Jorge. E Viñuales, Neil R. Edwards. Modelling complex systems of heterogeneous agents to better design sustainability transitions policy. Global Environmental Change. 2016; 37 ():102-115.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jean-Francois Mercure; Hector Pollitt; Andrea. M. Bassi; Jorge. E Viñuales; Neil R. Edwards. 2016. "Modelling complex systems of heterogeneous agents to better design sustainability transitions policy." Global Environmental Change 37, no. : 102-115.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2015 in Environmental and Climate Technologies
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The mainstreaming of concepts related to the Green Economy, an action-oriented approach to reach sustainable development, has increased demands for integrated models that can shed light on the complex relations existing across social, economic and environmental indicators. A gap exists, whereby our thinking is rapidly evolving, but the tools available are still in the vast majority of cases sectorial, leading to planning processes taking place in silos. To avoid the emergence of side effects, and anticipate future threats and opportunities, a more systemic approach is needed. The Green Economy Model (GEM) was created taking into account four main capitals and their interconnections: physical capital, human capital, social capital and natural capital. The application of GEM in 10 countries has shown its capability to coherently represent reality and generate results that can more effectively inform decision making.

ACS Style

Andrea M. Bassi. Moving Towards Integrated Policy Formulation and Evaluation: The Green Economy Model. Environmental and Climate Technologies 2015, 16, 5 -19.

AMA Style

Andrea M. Bassi. Moving Towards Integrated Policy Formulation and Evaluation: The Green Economy Model. Environmental and Climate Technologies. 2015; 16 (1):5-19.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea M. Bassi. 2015. "Moving Towards Integrated Policy Formulation and Evaluation: The Green Economy Model." Environmental and Climate Technologies 16, no. 1: 5-19.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2015 in Environmental and Climate Technologies
Reads 0
Downloads 0

A system dynamics model has been developed for the power sector of Mauritius, which captures a range of complex interactions between the economic, social and environmental aspects of the national economy, with deeper emphasis on the role of energy in these interactions. The model has been validated by replicating the historical trends of key development indicators, and its results were compared to the projections of the national utility company. The validation process shows that the model provides a faithful representation of the actual electricity sector of Mauritius, and can be easily adapted to the use of different assumptions. This paper describes the main characteristics of the model and its results as compared to electricity demand projections carried out by the Central Electricity Board to 2022. The results suggest that further analysis could be done to test alternative low carbon investment scenarios.

ACS Style

Prakash N. K. Deenapanray; Andrea M. Bassi. System Dynamics Modelling of the Power Sector in Mauritius. Environmental and Climate Technologies 2015, 16, 20 -35.

AMA Style

Prakash N. K. Deenapanray, Andrea M. Bassi. System Dynamics Modelling of the Power Sector in Mauritius. Environmental and Climate Technologies. 2015; 16 (1):20-35.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Prakash N. K. Deenapanray; Andrea M. Bassi. 2015. "System Dynamics Modelling of the Power Sector in Mauritius." Environmental and Climate Technologies 16, no. 1: 20-35.

Research article
Published: 13 April 2015 in Simulation & Gaming
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Background: Sustainable management of the municipal water supply is a priority issue in the policy agenda of Maui County, Hawaii. The Maui Economic Development Board launched the WaterStory initiative to educate residents about the determinants and history of Maui’s water resource development. A System Dynamics model was developed and coupled with a user interface to create WATERSTORY, an interactive learning environment (ILE). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the benefits of WATERSTORY for the identification and assessment of sustainable water management policies in Maui. Method: WATERSTORY is a System Dynamics-based ILE that shows the cross-sectoral impacts of users’ decisions. Both, the simulation model and the ILE resulted from group modeling and ILE testing sessions. Results: The development of the WATERSTORY ILE facilitated the involvement of local communities in the discussion of water management problems and identification of possible solutions. Conclusions: The study suggests that developing a simple ILE is essential in raising the interest of a wide audience involved in sustainable development policy making. After stakeholders gain confidence in the benefit of the ILE, it becomes easier to integrate simulation exercises into planning processes at national, regional and local levels.

ACS Style

Andrea M. Bassi; Frank De Rego; John Harrisson; Niccolò Lombardi. WATERSTORY ILE. Simulation & Gaming 2015, 46, 404 -429.

AMA Style

Andrea M. Bassi, Frank De Rego, John Harrisson, Niccolò Lombardi. WATERSTORY ILE. Simulation & Gaming. 2015; 46 (3):404-429.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea M. Bassi; Frank De Rego; John Harrisson; Niccolò Lombardi. 2015. "WATERSTORY ILE." Simulation & Gaming 46, no. 3: 404-429.

Journal article
Published: 19 February 2014 in Natural Resources Forum
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The ISLANDS project is implemented by the Indian Ocean Commission using the European Development Fund of the European Union to support the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy in beneficiary countries. This paper shares the experiences of ISLANDS in deploying system dynamics modeling in five countries in the Eastern and Southern African and Indian Ocean Region (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zanzibar) for sustainable development planning. Lessons learned regarding the design and conceptualization of the project ISLANDS, including the adoption of system dynamics modeling as an integrated assessment tool for policy planning, are discussed. Although Madagascar and Zanzibar are not defined as small island developing States (SIDS) in the UN System, the lessons learned from these countries are applicable to all SIDS. The approach used by ISLANDS for technical assistance consists of nesting learning‐by‐doing, multi‐stakeholder processes, and dedicated capacity‐building in system dynamics modeling, as well as advocacy for the integrated modeling tool with decision‐makers. While island developing States are recognized for their inherent vulnerabilities to shocks, the adoption of system dynamics modeling helps to achieve policy‐induced resilience by exposing the challenges and constraints posed by the lack of reliable statistical data. Institutionalization of the tool is progressing well in the region.

ACS Style

Prakash N K Deenapanray; Andrea M Bassi. The experience of ISLANDS in deploying system dynamics modeling as an integrated policy tool. Natural Resources Forum 2014, 38, 67 -81.

AMA Style

Prakash N K Deenapanray, Andrea M Bassi. The experience of ISLANDS in deploying system dynamics modeling as an integrated policy tool. Natural Resources Forum. 2014; 38 (1):67-81.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Prakash N K Deenapanray; Andrea M Bassi. 2014. "The experience of ISLANDS in deploying system dynamics modeling as an integrated policy tool." Natural Resources Forum 38, no. 1: 67-81.

Book chapter
Published: 03 October 2013 in Understanding Complex Systems
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Climate change has emerged as arguably the biggest threat facing human development in the twenty-first century. The current stock of atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) is large enough to cause climate change and climate variability. International efforts have been undertaken to stabilize atmospheric GHGs and to limit average global temperature rise to 2 °C (Randall, WIREs Clim. Chang. 1:598–605, 2010). If current emissions continue unabated, it is expected that the temperature rise will be between 4 °C and 6 °C; that can be reached towards the end of this century. Under this “do nothing” scenario, all nations would be losers. It is, therefore, in humanity’s interest to do something about the current state of affairs. Although adapting to climate change and climate variability is important, the safest adaptation would be large-scale reduction in atmospheric GHG emissions. It has been shown recently that limiting global temperature increase to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels could be achieved through the “wedging the gap” approach consisting of 21 coherent major initiatives that together would trigger greenhouse gas emission reductions of around 10 Gt CO2e by 2020, plus the benefits of enhanced reductions in air-pollutant emissions (Blok, Höhne, van der Leun, Harrison, Nat. Clim. Chang. 2:471–474, 2012). Emissions reductions can be achieved broadly through a combination of: (1) policy measures that provide for financial and economic incentives (e.g., feed-in tariffs for renewable energies) or disincentives (e.g., carbon tax), and (2) market-based mechanisms such as carbon trading, both of which would be required to implement the “wedging the gap” approach. Further, this novel approach would require unprecedented global scale coordination and cooperation.

ACS Style

Andrea M. Bassi; Prakash Deenapanray; Pål Davidsen. Energy Policy Planning for Climate-Resilient Low-Carbon Development. Understanding Complex Systems 2013, 125 -156.

AMA Style

Andrea M. Bassi, Prakash Deenapanray, Pål Davidsen. Energy Policy Planning for Climate-Resilient Low-Carbon Development. Understanding Complex Systems. 2013; ():125-156.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea M. Bassi; Prakash Deenapanray; Pål Davidsen. 2013. "Energy Policy Planning for Climate-Resilient Low-Carbon Development." Understanding Complex Systems , no. : 125-156.