8th International Forum on Sustainable Future in Asia / 8th NIES International Forum: How has Asia-Pacific Integrated Model (AIM) committed to decarbonization?

The National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) has been developing and applying the Asia-Pacific Integrated Model (AIM), an integrated assessment model, to various countries in cooperation with research institutes in Japan and abroad, especially in Asia. As a result, the simulation results using AIM were used in Indonesia and Thailand to develop their long-term strategies. In addition, we have contributed to the climate policies of several Asian countries, such as providing simulation results for Vietnam to achieve the net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. In the global warming countermeasures plan approved by the Cabinet in 2021, the "Support of development of Long-term strategy, revision of NDCs and capacity development of institutional capacity and implementation capabilities in private companies based on the Asia-Pacific Integrated Model (AIM) will help to increase the ambition of partner countries and strengthen their efforts toward decarbonisation.” This means that AIM's contribution to evidence-based policy making is expected in the Asian countries. On the other hand, in order for scenario analyses to contribute to the realisation of a decarbonised society in Asia, the models used in the AIM need to evolve to include more detailed models in addition to the conventional enduse model and economic model, so that they can deal with social changes and specific countermeasures.

In this 8th NIES International Forum, we will introduce the researches on AIM initiatives in Asian countries, share opinions from policy makers and other stakeholders, discuss how the findings from scenario analyses can be implemented in the real society to realise a decarbonised society, and further discuss the challenges and expectations for the future of scenario analyses and the AIM. By sharing the issues and expectations for the AIM in the future, we will clarify the direction in which the AIM can be an infrastructure for a decarbonised society.