Towards a Knowledge Commons for Integrated Assessment Models of Climate Change

Abstract

"Integrated assessment models, models that integrate the dynamics of economic and geo-physical systems to explore alternative policy scenarios, play a central role in public debates on climate change. Unfortunately, it is typically difficult to access the models themselves. Efforts are being undertaken to improve access to integrated assessment models. In this paper I describe two cases of integrated assessment modelling activities at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. These two cases illustrate the significant progress that is being made to share information with respect to model inputs and interfaces. In these two cases the sharing of information with respect to the actual implementation remains quite limited however. I speculate why this might be and offer suggestions for improvement."