Description of the open-source MEDEAS integrated assessment modeling framework, which focuses on the biophysical and economic dimensions, restrictions and interactions arising during energy transitions.

There is a general need to facilitate citizens’ understanding of the global sustainability problem with the dual purpose of raising their awareness of the seriousness of the problem and helping them get closer to understanding the complexity of the solutions. Here, the design and application of the participatory simulation game Global Sustainability Crossroads is described, based on a global state-of-the-art energy–economy–environment model, which creates a virtual scenario where the participants are confronted with the design of climate mitigation strategies as well as the social, economic, and environmental consequences of decisions. The novelty of the game rests on the global scope and the representation of the drivers of anthropogenic emissions within the MEDEAS-World model, combined with a participatory simulation group dynamic flexible enough to be adapted to a diversity of contexts and participants. The performance of 13 game workshops with ~420 players has shown it has a significant pedagogical potential: the game is able to generate discussions on crucial topics which are usually outside the public realm such as the relationship between economic growth and sustainability, the role of technology, how human desires are limited by biophysical constraints or the possibility of climate tipping points.

Game-based learning refers to the use of game thinking and mechanics to engage and motivate students in the learning process. We applied this innovative concept to complement the theoretical sessions of an introductory course on ecological economics in the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). A participatory simulation game originally developed by Capellán-Pérez et al. (2019) in the context of energy and sustainability education was adapted for this course; and at the same time, the theoretical sessions were reshaped to enhance the learning experience of the gaming. The pedagogical effect of the whole course was evaluated with a previous and posterior questionnaire. The results show that this combined strategy is especially suited to motivate and engage students into the discipline of ecological economics, as well as in order to promote team work and collaborative thinking. We also observed that students gained a better global vision and interrelation between the topics discussed during the course and a greater capacity to understand and interiorise the global socio-environmental crisis that humanity is currently facing

The transition to a low-carbon economy is expected to increase material requirements, as low-carbon technologies (LCTs) typically require more materials than fossil fuel-based energy systems. Here, we extend the MEDEAS-Spain Integrated Assessement Model (IAM) to improve the representation of material requirements, stocks, and flows. Key novelties are: (i) the use of sectoral material demand intensities for each economic sector, (ii) the consistent representation of material stocks and flows, (iii) for an exhaustive list of 43 mineral materials covered. We perform an impact analysis on the material requirements and associated environmental impacts (final energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and material footprint) of a baseline and three decarbonisation scenarios (reaching a 100% renewable electricity mix) to 2050. First, the PNIEC-LTDS scenario represents the national energy and climate plan (consistent with a green growth paradigm). Second, the CappedEcon scenario presents a final demand capped to its 2025 level (moderate demand-side measures). Third, the Sufficiency scenario is parametrised by downscaling final demand across sectors to a level sufficient to provide decent living standard for the entire Spanish population; a novel approach within IAMs that aligns well with a postgrowth paradigm. The results show that the material requirements of LCTs deployment are substantial. For the PNIEC-LTDS scenario, LCTs are responsible for more than 30% of total cumulative (2025–2050) requirements for copper (36%), chromium (70%), cobalt (84%), graphite (81%), lithium (66%), and nickel (82%). The material footprint increases by 47% between 2025 and 2050 for the PNIEC-LTDS scenario. However, material requirements are mostly driven by final consumption for the rest of economic activities (74% of the cumulative material footprint for the PNIEC-LTDS scenario). In contrast, the Sufficiency scenario achieves a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (fossil-fuel emissions are reduced by 93% compared to 2025) and in material footprint as compared to the other scenarios (and reduced by 55% compared to 2025). The robustness of the results is ensured through a range of uncertainty analyses. Our results therefore suggest that reducing the level of final demand (with sector-specific reductions), in line with the transition to a postgrowth paradigm, could be crucial to reconcile a rapid and large deployment of LCTs with a reduction in material footprint.