@article{ab1a7c419ead4dc4b9133bd6d4f0c07b,
title = "Carrying out a multi-model integrated assessment of European energy transition pathways : Challenges and benefits",
abstract = "With the publication of the European Green Deal, the European Union has committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. The envisaged reductions of direct greenhouse gases emissions are seen as technically feasible, but if a wrong path is pursued, significant unintended impacts across borders, sectors, societies and ecosystems may follow. Without the insights gained from an impact assessment framework reaching beyond the techno-economic perspective, the pursuit of direct emission reductions may lead to counterproductive outcomes in the long run. We discuss the opportunities and challenges related to the creation and use of an integrated assessment framework built to inform the European Commission on the path to decarbonisation. The framework is peculiar in that it goes beyond existing ones in its scope, depth and cross-scale coverage, by use of numerous specialised models and case studies. We find challenges of consistency that can be overcome by linking modelling tools iteratively in some cases, harmonising modelling assumptions in others, comparing model outputs in others. We find the highest added value of the framework in additional insights it provides on the technical feasibility of decarbonisation pathways, on vulnerability aspects and on unintended environmental and health impacts on national and sub-national scale.",
keywords = "Decarbonisation pathways, European green deal, Impact assessment, Modelling framework, Multi-model",
author = "F. Gardumi and I. Keppo and M. Howells and S. Pye and G. Avgerinopoulos and V. Lekavi{\v c}ius and A. Galinis and L. Marti{\v s}auskas and U. Fahl and P. Korkmaz and D. Schmid and Montenegro, {R. Cunha} and S. Syri and A. Hast and U. M{\"o}rtberg and O. Balyk and K. Karlsson and X. Pang and G. Mozgeris and R. Trubins and D. Jaksic and Turalija, {I. M.} and M. Mikuli{\'c}",
note = "| openaire: EC/H2020/691739/EU//REEEM Funding Information: This research has received funding through the REEEM project from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 691739. This publication reflects only the views of its authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for its content. The authors would also like to thank all the contributors to the REEEM project and those who prepared the proposal. Francesco Gardumi would like to thank the division of Energy Systems Analysis for all the support and feedback provided through the duration of the REEEM project. Funding Information: With the publication of the European Green Deal, the European Union ratcheted its ambition on climate change and committed to carbon-neutrality by 2050 [ 1 ]. Though supported by many Member States, the transformational change mandated by the Green Deal also raised concerns from some. For instance, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from Poland reacted to the announcement by stating the need for the European Commission to work with member states [ 2 ]. MEPs from Italy highlighted the need to look at the social and economic impact of achieving climate neutrality and MEPs from France echoed the Italian proposal for a more humane social and ecological transition. Such concerns stem from specific social, economic and environmental pressures, and are often not captured explicitly by the analysis supporting emission mitigation plans. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s)",
year = "2022",
month = nov,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1016/j.energy.2022.124329",
language = "English",
volume = "258",
journal = "Energy",
issn = "0360-5442",
publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",
}
