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(In)justice in modelled climate futures : A review of integrated assessment modelling critiques through a justice lens

Rubiano, Natalia LU and Carton, Wim LU orcid (2022) In Energy Research & Social Science 92.
Abstract
Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) have become the dominant approach for envisioning different mitigation scenarios. While they are not intended to deal with justice, IAM assumptions and structure have justice implications that have not been explicitly discussed or clearly elucidated in critical accounts of modelling practices. Given their key influence in policy decisions and the increasing imperative for just transitions and climate action, a more explicit consideration of the justice dimensions of IAM-derived mitigation pathways is necessary. This paper reviews existing critiques to IAMs through a three-dimensional justice lens to examine the extent to which justice concerns emerge or remain unnoticed in the literature.

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Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) have become the dominant approach for envisioning different mitigation scenarios. While they are not intended to deal with justice, IAM assumptions and structure have justice implications that have not been explicitly discussed or clearly elucidated in critical accounts of modelling practices. Given their key influence in policy decisions and the increasing imperative for just transitions and climate action, a more explicit consideration of the justice dimensions of IAM-derived mitigation pathways is necessary. This paper reviews existing critiques to IAMs through a three-dimensional justice lens to examine the extent to which justice concerns emerge or remain unnoticed in the literature.

This review helps substantiate how disciplinary and geographical assumptions and norms shape policy choices. Focusing mostly on the role of techno-economic framings and processes of model-based knowledge production, and drawing from critical justice theorists, such as Nancy Fraser, the article shows how dominant approaches to justice have overlooked questions of recognition and their subsuming distributional and participational concerns. It also points to the need to engage with other knowledge systems and approaches through cognitive justice, for a more transformative critique of policy relevant climate knowledge, as well as to strive for more diverse, equitable and inclusive policy options. (Less)
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author
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Energy Research & Social Science
volume
92
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85136526381
ISSN
2214-6326
DOI
10.1016/j.erss.2022.102781
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
378facff-6716-4a46-8e5b-c4a3d3ea18bd
date added to LUP
2022-08-24 09:55:10
date last changed
2024-04-18 13:16:45
@article{378facff-6716-4a46-8e5b-c4a3d3ea18bd,
  abstract     = {{Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) have become the dominant approach for envisioning different mitigation scenarios. While they are not intended to deal with justice, IAM assumptions and structure have justice implications that have not been explicitly discussed or clearly elucidated in critical accounts of modelling practices. Given their key influence in policy decisions and the increasing imperative for just transitions and climate action, a more explicit consideration of the justice dimensions of IAM-derived mitigation pathways is necessary. This paper reviews existing critiques to IAMs through a three-dimensional justice lens to examine the extent to which justice concerns emerge or remain unnoticed in the literature.<br/><br/>This review helps substantiate how disciplinary and geographical assumptions and norms shape policy choices. Focusing mostly on the role of techno-economic framings and processes of model-based knowledge production, and drawing from critical justice theorists, such as Nancy Fraser, the article shows how dominant approaches to justice have overlooked questions of recognition and their subsuming distributional and participational concerns. It also points to the need to engage with other knowledge systems and approaches through cognitive justice, for a more transformative critique of policy relevant climate knowledge, as well as to strive for more diverse, equitable and inclusive policy options.}},
  author       = {{Rubiano, Natalia and Carton, Wim}},
  issn         = {{2214-6326}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Energy Research & Social Science}},
  title        = {{(In)justice in modelled climate futures : A review of integrated assessment modelling critiques through a justice lens}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2022.102781}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.erss.2022.102781}},
  volume       = {{92}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}