Modelling for Sustainable Development: New decisions for a new age
Key Messages
- The decisions of public and private sector actors must incorporate sustainable development considerations. Doing so, however, requires the ability to model these same considerations, as well as the impacts of a particular policy or project.
- The design and choice of these models is crucial, and must involve a holistic approach that brings together the various actors and interests involved.
- These models must also be able to meet decision-maker's needs and inform decisions that contribute to sustainable development.
Our environmental, economic, and social systems are currently facing a host of challenges, which if left unaddressed will have significant implications for the world in which we live. Tackling these challenges will require better-informed decision-making, which in turn requires models that are designed and developed with sustainable development considerations and objectives in mind. To support this need for better-informed decision making, this book brings together the insights and expertise of a dozen expert modellers and policy analysts, who completed this project on modelling for sustainable development in June 2019 using the "Book Sprints" method. It outlines the different modelling approaches available; describes why model design and development matters for sustainable development; and explains how these models can contribute to decision-making processes.
The book is designed for decision-makers, model commissioners, model developers, model users, and students specializing in modelling and/or the different aspects of sustainable development.
The book’s co-authors include:
- Andrea M. Bassi, Senior Affiliate IISD; Founder & CEO, KnowlEdge Srl; Extraordinary Associate Professor, Stellenbosch University
- Liesbeth Casier, Policy Analyst, IISD
- David Laborde, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute
- Max Linsen, Consultant, Adaptation to climate change, IISD
- David Manley, Senior Economic Analyst, Natural Resource Governance Institute
- Nicolas Maennling, Senior Economics and Policy Researcher, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
- Howard Mann, Senior International Law Advisor, IISD
- Morten Siersted, Visiting Research Fellow, CDS, University of Bath; Director, FAST Standard Organisation; Founder & Director, F1F9
- Carin Smaller, Senior Policy Advisor & Team Leader, Agriculture and Investment, IISD
- Iain Steel, Independent Consultant
- David Uzsoki, Senior Advisor in Sustainable Finance, IISD
- Johnny West, Director, OpenOil
A webinar about the book was held on October 21, 2019. The video recording is available for viewing below:
You might also be interested in
Four Ways Investors Can Boost Sustainable Agriculture
With a multi-billion dollar investment gap for meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 2) of ending hunger by 2030, how can investors manage risk while supporting sustainable development in agriculture?
A Green Deal for post-war Ukraine
As Russia's war on Ukraine enters its ninth month, damages to the Ukrainian economy, infrastructure, and environment continue to accumulate. In addition to the human toll—the thousands of Ukrainians killed or injured and the millions displaced—the monetary costs are in the hundreds of billions of dollars and the prospect of attracting substantial foreign investments during wartime looks bleak.
From direct investment to direct engagement: How can the FDI industry benefit those parts of society which it has failed to reach in the past?
As the foreign direct investment (FDI) industry gathered at the World Investment Conference organised by WAIPA in September, one message resonated clearly: the world needs better FDI, one which requires a significant transformation of investment promotion agencies (IPAs).
Self-Assessment Tool for the Implementation of the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement
As World Trade Organization Members prepare for the entry into force of the new Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, this new tool aims to support their implementation efforts.