Progress in integrated assessment and modelling

P. Parker (1) , R. Letcher (2) , A. Jakeman (2) , M.B. Beck (3) , G. Harris (4) , R.M. Argent (5) , M. Hare (6) , C. Pahl-Wostl (6) , A. Voinov (7) , M. Janssen (8) , P. Sullivan (9) , M. Scoccimarro (10) , A. Friend (11) , M. Sonnenshein (12) , D. Baker (13) , L. Matejicek (14) , D. Odulaja (15) , P. Deadman (1) , K. Lim (1) , G. Larocque (16) , P. Tarikhi (17) , C. Fletcher (18) , A. Put (19) , T. Maxwell (20) , A. Charles (21) , H. Breeze (18) , N. Nakatani (22) , S. Mudgal (23) , W. Naito (24)

1 Faculty of Environmental Studies
2 Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies
3 Warnell School of Forest Resources
4 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
5 Centre for Environmental Applied Hydrology
6 Swiss Federal Institute of Environmental Science & Technology
7 Institute for Ecological Economics / Center for Environmental Science
8 Free University
9 Department of Applied Mathematics
10 Integrated Catchment Assessment and Management Centre
11 School of Community and Regional Planning
12 University of Oldenburg
13 Geostructures Consulting
14 Institute for Environmental Studies
15 International Centre of lnsect Physiology and Ecolog
16 NRCan - Natural Resources Canada
17 Iranian Remote Sensing Center
18 Gorsebrook Research Institute
19 Department of Biology
20 University of Maryland [College Park]
21 Management Science / Environmental Science
22 Osaka Prefecture University
23 INERIS - Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques
24 Yokohama National University

Environmental processes have been modelled for decades. However. the need for integrated assessment and modeling (IAM) has,town as the extent and severity of environmental problems in the 21st Century worsens. The scale of IAM is not restricted to the global level as in climate change models, but includes local and regional models of environmental problems. This paper discusses various definitions of IAM and identifies five different types of integration that Lire needed for the effective solution of environmental problems. The future is then depicted in the form of two brief scenarios: one optimistic and one pessimistic. The current state of IAM is then briefly reviewed. The issues of complexity and validation in IAM are recognised as more complex than in traditional disciplinary approaches. Communication is identified as a central issue both internally among team members and externally with decision-makers. stakeholders and other scientists. Finally it is concluded that the process of integrated assessment and modelling is considered as important as the product for any particular project. By learning to work together and recognise the contribution of all team members and participants, it is believed that we will have a strong scientific and social basis to address the environmental problems of the 21st Century.

Keywords: INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT AND MODELLING INTEGRATION; COMMUNICATION; MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAMS

Domains: Environmental Sciences

P. Parker, R. Letcher, A. Jakeman, M.B. Beck, G. Harris, et al.. Progress in integrated assessment and modelling. Environmental Modelling and Software, 2002, 17 (3), pp.209-217. ⟨10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00059-7⟩. ⟨ineris-00962806⟩