Integrated assessment models for resource–environment–economy coordinated development

Resources–environment–economy coordinated development (REECD) is important for global sustainable development goals (SDGs). Integrated assessment model (IAM) is widely applied to investigate REECD-related issues and design policy or technology development pathways. Accordingly, this study reviews existing literatures on the REECD related IAMs in terms of nexus mechanism, classification, theoretical basis and applicability, and puts forward possible expansion dimensions for improving the models. IAMs could be categorized into top-down ones mainly based on computable general equilibrium and optimization theories, and bottom-up ones generally based on engineering-technological and ecology-environmental analysis. Top-down and bottom-up combined IAMs are increasingly employed to evaluate the impacts of policy implementation, technological penetration and behavior modification, in order to improve the accuracy for decision-making. Meanwhile, IAMs for REECD are need to be further developed to increase its applicability for analyzing high-resolution and high-frequency inventories of resource development and pollutant emissions. Existing IAMs should also embrace key resources consumption such as heavy and strategic metals. Due to tighter carbon emission space under 1.5-degree and carbon-neutral climate targets, the nexus mechanism of REECD would change significantly in future, which we need to characterize these variations in the models. Furthermore, researchers and developers should pay more attention to model improvement towards the developing and emerging economies. This article is categorized under: Sustainable Development > Emerging Economies Sustainable Development > Goals Human and Social Dimensions > Energy and Climate Justice.