Andrea has over 15 years of experience working with governments and international organizations on the development of customized models for the assessment of outcomes of policy and investment across social, economic and environmental indicators.
Andrea has specific expertise in green economy strategies and scenarios, climate mitigation and adaptation, industrial competitiveness and, more generally, in sustainable development. He specializes in the use of System Dynamics, and in its coupling with other modelling techniques. Andrea has implemented various customized (problem-driven and context-dependent) modelling approaches in over 40 countries.
Andrea is the lead author of integrated and sectoral studies presented to several national leaders (e.g., in the United States, Mauritius, Georgia and Indonesia), and has published in peer-reviewed journals (e.g., Energy Economics, Energy for Sustainable Development) and in reports by leading international organizations (e.g., UNEP, UNDP, IRENA, GIZ, WWF). In 2014 Andrea published a book titled Tackling Complexity with Gilbert Probst, professor at the University of Geneva and World Economic Forum. Andrea is also the lead author of the modelling chapter of UNEP’s Green Economy Report and has written national policy documents, strategies and action plans, in addition to chapters for the National Communications to the UNFCCC. With IISD, Andrea has developed the Global Subsidy Initiative – Integrated Fiscal Model (GSI-IF), the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) Model and the Green Public Procurement (GPP) suite of models.
Andrea is the founder and CEO of KnowlEdge Srl. He is also an extraordinary associate professor of System Dynamics Modelling at Stellenbosch University. His earlier experience includes director for Project Development and Modeling at Millennium Institute, visiting researcher at the Danish National Environmental Research Institute and graduate research assistant at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Andrea holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in System Dynamics from the University of Bergen in Norway, a M.Sc. in Business and Economics from LIUC in Italy, and a postgraduate certificate in modelling the environment from the Universitad Politecnica de Catalunia in Spain.
All Publications
- An Application of the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) Methodology in Sri Lanka: Assessing the economic value of restoring the ecological health of Beira Lake in Colombo
Report - August 31, 2019
The SAVi assessment quantifies the economic value of investing into different ecological restoration options for South-West Beira Lake in Colombo and makes a strong case for such investments given the positive effects on property values and recreational value of the lake. - Mapping Policy for Solar Irrigation Across the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus in India
Report - August 6, 2019
How are India's off-grid solar pump policies affecting the water–energy–food nexus? This paper maps out impacts and the key policies that are driving them. - Modelling for Sustainable Development: New decisions for a new age
Book - July 8, 2019
This book provides a detailed overview of models used in designing projects and policies that integrate sustainable development considerations and objectives. - Raising Ambition Through Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: Greenhouse gas emissions results modelling from 26 countries
Report - July 7, 2019
This working paper models 26 countries and finds national average emission reductions of 6 per cent from the removal of fossil fuel subsidies. For every tonne of CO2e removed through FFSR, governments save an average of USD 93. Global emission reductions from reforms are between 6.4 and 8.2 per cent by 2050. Countries can consider the carbon reduction co-benefits from FFSR and taxation within second-generation Nationally Determined Contributions. - An Application of the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) Methodology to Pelly's Lake and Stephenfield Reservoir, Manitoba, Canada
Report - June 12, 2019
This report provides a valuation of the ecosystem services in Stephenfield Reservoir and Pelly's Lake in Manitoba, Canada. - Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) of the Bus Rapid Transit Project in Senegal
Report - May 31, 2019
This report discusses the results of the SAVi analysis on the Bus Rapid Transit project in Dakar (Senegal). - Measuring the Benefits of Green Public Procurement in Canada: Evidence from the IISD GPP Model
Report - May 31, 2019
The IISD GPP Model demonstrates that green public procurement has significant benefits for the Canadian taxpayer. - Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) Assessment of the N'Diaye Wind Farm in Senegal
Report - May 31, 2019
This SAVi analysis on the N'Diaye wind farm project in Senegal demonstrates that, compared to other energy technologies (coal and high-fuel oils), the wind project brings the most benefits to the Senegalese economy and environment. - Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) of the Contournement de Rabat (Morocco)
Report - March 21, 2019
IISD has carried out an economic and financial assessment of different risk scenarios of the contournement de Rabat, the bypass road in Morocco. The assessment included the valuation of different externalities related to the road project. - Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool: Natural infrastructure
Report - March 1, 2019
Technical background document for the IISD's Sustainable Asset Valuation tool (SAVi) for natural infrastructure. - Lake Dal in Srinagar, India: Application of the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology for the analysis of conservation options
Report - December 29, 2018
The report presents the interim results of the SAVi analysis for developing the business case for the long-term conservation of Lake Dal in Srinagar, India. - The Sustainable Asset Valuation of the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor in Tanzania (SAGCOT) Initiative: A focus on irrigation
Report - December 27, 2018
This report discusses the results of the application of the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) tool to irrigation infrastructure in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor in Tanzania. - Applying the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) Tool to the 9.5 GW Offshore Wind Farm, North Sea, The Netherlands
Brochure - December 20, 2018
Applied to the 9.5 GW offshore wind farm in the North Sea, the SAVi tool compares the financial attractiveness of the wind farm with other energy technologies under four different scenarios. - Stormwater Markets: Concepts and applications
Report - February 14, 2018
This paper provides an overview of the technology and financing options available to address the stormwater problem in urban areas. The analysis focuses on policy instruments for incentivising private investments into green infrastructure, specifically through the creation of stormwater markets. - Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool: Water infrastructure
Data brief - September 26, 2017
Technical background document for the Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool of IISD (SAVi) for water infrastructure. - Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool: Roads
Data brief - September 26, 2017
Technical background document for the Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool of IISD (SAVi) for road infrastructure. - Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool: Energy infrastructure
Data brief - September 26, 2017
Technical background document for the Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool of IISD (SAVi) for energy infrastructure. - Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool: Buildings
Data brief - September 26, 2017
Technical background document for the Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool of IISD (SAVi) for buildings. - Zombie Energy: Climate benefits of ending subsidies to fossil fuel production
Paper - February 10, 2017
This working paper explains how different production subsidies currently unlock “zombie energy” from fossil fuel deposits that would not be commercially viable to produce without government support. It also presents new modelling of the global removal of certain subsidies to fossil fuel production. - Tackling Fossil Fuel Subsidies and Climate Change: Levelling the energy playing field
Paper - October 21, 2015
Subsidies for the consuption of fossil fuels were estimated at US$550 billion in 2013, according to the International Energy Agency. - Fossil-Fuel Subsidies and Climate Change: Options for policy-makers within their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions
Paper - January 6, 2015
This paper reviews international models of fossil-fuel subsidy reform and greenhouse gas emissions to support parties to the United Nations...