Featured Pathways

More pathways

The Science of Climate Change

Climate change is no longer a distant threat or just a possibility, it is now a reality for all of us. In this pathway, Kevin Trenberth, a renowned climatologist, delves into the science behind climate change. He first introduces the climate system, its main components and forces.

Tackling the Plastic Crisis

Plastic pollution is by far the biggest threat to our oceans and this remains an incredibly tough problem to solve. Plastic credits could potentially serve as one of the much needed solutions for this crisis.

More pathways

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Plans & Membership

Our Platform

Expert led content

+1,000 expert presented, on-demand video modules

Learning analytics

Keep track of learning progress with our comprehensive data

Interactive learning

Engage with our video hotspots and knowledge check-ins

Testing & certification

Gain CPD / CPE credits and professional certification

Managed learning

Build, scale and manage your organisation’s learning

Integrations

Connect Sustainability Unlocked to your current platform

Featured Content

More featured content

The Scale of the Net Zero Challenge

The price of meeting net zero is estimated to be between $100-150 trillion over the next 30 years. Regardless of this cost, we need to reach net zero before climate change does irreversible damage to the environment and the economy.

ESG, Sustainability and Impact Jargon Buster

ESG, sustainability, impact… they all just mean green, right? Not quite. Despite being used often interchangeably, there are distinct differences between these terms.

More featured content

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Featured Pathways

More pathways

The Science of Climate Change

Climate change is no longer a distant threat or just a possibility, it is now a reality for all of us. In this pathway, Kevin Trenberth, a renowned climatologist, delves into the science behind climate change. He first introduces the climate system, its main components and forces.

Tackling the Plastic Crisis

Plastic pollution is by far the biggest threat to our oceans and this remains an incredibly tough problem to solve. Plastic credits could potentially serve as one of the much needed solutions for this crisis.

More pathways

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Plans & Membership

Our Platform

Expert led content

+1,000 expert presented, on-demand video modules

Learning analytics

Keep track of learning progress with our comprehensive data

Interactive learning

Engage with our video hotspots and knowledge check-ins

Testing & certification

Gain CPD / CPE credits and professional certification

Managed learning

Build, scale and manage your organisation’s learning

Integrations

Connect Sustainability Unlocked to your current platform

Featured Content

More featured content

The Scale of the Net Zero Challenge

The price of meeting net zero is estimated to be between $100-150 trillion over the next 30 years. Regardless of this cost, we need to reach net zero before climate change does irreversible damage to the environment and the economy.

ESG, Sustainability and Impact Jargon Buster

ESG, sustainability, impact… they all just mean green, right? Not quite. Despite being used often interchangeably, there are distinct differences between these terms.

More featured content

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Integrated Assessment Models II

Integrated Assessment Models II

Amit Kara

30 years: Macroeconomist

In the sixth video of this series on the Macroeconomics of Climate Change, Amit outlines why IAMs have been and will remain the workhorse models for climate economics and policy analysis. In this video, Amit continues the discussion around IAMs and completes the model circle. He also discusses how these models can be used to justify climate action.

In the sixth video of this series on the Macroeconomics of Climate Change, Amit outlines why IAMs have been and will remain the workhorse models for climate economics and policy analysis. In this video, Amit continues the discussion around IAMs and completes the model circle. He also discusses how these models can be used to justify climate action.

Subscribe to watch

Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Integrated Assessment Models II

6 mins 39 secs

Overview

IAMs have been and will remain the workhorse models for climate economics and policy analysis. The smaller ones tend to be good for cost-benefit analysis but they are less good on sectoral, regional and geographical differences. The larger ones tend to include all the complexities, but they tend to be less transparent. As is the case with all models, the answers will be driven by the judgements that the modeller makes in developing the model.

Key learning objectives:

  • Define Abatements Costs

  • Identify the last component of an IAM model

Subscribe to watch

Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Summary

What are Abatements Costs?

This model of the IAM incorporates specifications that capture the emissions control rate or the amount of emissions that balances the cost of lowering those emissions with the benefits to the economy of that reduction.  The model can include equations that link emissions with carbon taxes and estimate the cost of achieving a target reduction in emissions. This is important because the effort that we make to mitigate and adapt to climate change depends on the economic cost of climate change.

The present value of future losses is low if we allow for a high discount rate and vice versa. This difference can lead to very different conclusions on the effort that we need to make today to restrict emission levels.

What does the final component of an IAM model include?

Another key component of an IAM is a detailed structure of the economy. Depending on the scope of the model and its coverage, the structure will typically include all the major sectors of the economy and links between these sectors. The model tends to include an energy sector because of the importance of this sector in climate analysis and a typical model will also allow for technology options that drive levels of emissions, energy intensity, carbon capture rates etc.

We have the structure of the economy, the abatement measures and the technology assumptions in place. These and many other assumptions determine the amount of CO2 emissions and the speed at which CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere.

Subscribe to watch

Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Amit Kara

Amit Kara

Amit is Associate Research Director for Global Macroeconomic Analysis at NIESR. He is a macroeconomist with experience in central banking, investment banking, commercial banking and corporate credit rating. He has most recently worked at HSBC where he helped design the forward economic guidance input for IFRS 9. Amit is currently working on two substantial research projects related to the macroeconomic impact of climate change.

There are no available videos from "Amit Kara"