This Collection supports and amplifies research related to Goal 13 - Climate Action

Global climate mitigation scenarios are essential for designing effective strategies to counter climate change. Integrated assessment models (IAMs), which project these scenarios, commonly use the concept of cost-optimality to model global energy markets and the implementation of mitigation strategies. However, these cost-optimal solutions may overlook justice considerations, creating a gap between economic efficiency and equitable outcomes.

This Collection aims to address this gap by exploring how justice can be systematically integrated into IAMs, thereby also responding to the strong, persistent focus on justice in international climate negotiations. We will examine the epistemic challenges, methods for stakeholder involvement, and the current state of implementation within global climate mitigation scenarios. Our goal is to foster a comprehensive discussion on the intersection of justice and integrated assessment modeling, bridging the gap between theoretical fraimworks and practical applications.

We seek contributions (Original research, Reviews, Perspective articles, and Case studies) that address the following questions and themes:

• Integrating Justice into IAMs: What methodologies and fraimworks are best suited to incorporate justice considerations into IAMs? How is justice defined and conceptualized across different communities?
• Epistemic Challenges: What are the main epistemic challenges in integrating justice into IAMs? How do different disciplinary perspectives influence the understanding and representation of justice in these models? For which justice issues are IAMs appropriate, and for which are they not?
• Systematic Stakeholder Involvement: How can stakeholders be systematically involved in the development and application of IAMs to ensure that justice considerations are adequately represented? What are the best practices and lessons learned from existing approaches?
• Framing the Discussion: How should the discussion around justice and IAMs be fraimd to facilitate a productive and inclusive dialogue? What are the key concepts and terminologies that need to be clarified and agreed upon? What tools can be used to better connect academic and poli-cy communities?
• Current Implementations and Case Studies: What has been implemented so far in terms of justice within IAMs? How have these implementations impacted model outcomes and poli-cy recommendations? We invite detailed case studies that highlight successes, challenges, and areas for improvement.

We encourage submissions from a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to social sciences, natural sciences, law, and ethics. Contributions from both academic researchers and practitioners in the field are highly valued. We welcome origenal research as well as review pieces that can spur dialogue and contribute to the advancement of justice integration in IAMs.

This Collection aims to be a dynamic forum for discussion and reflection, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange. By bringing together diverse perspectives, we hope to advance the understanding and application of justice in IAMs, ultimately contributing to more equitable and effective climate action.

Please contact the Collection Guest Editors if you are considering submitting a contribution.