Integrating Equity into Integrated Model Simulations with Emulators and Visualizations

While there is growing interest in and appreciation of the importance of incorporating representation of distributional impacts in integrated assessment models, the computational burden of incorporating dynamic representations at appropriate scale has historically limited the incorporation of multiple endpoints relevant to equity in model analyses. We introduce new methodological directions to illustrate potential for future modeling of equity and related aspects, drawn from the work of MIT’s Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy (CS3). Through an example of air quality, we show how a fast emulator that can provide spatially-resolved fields from a complex atmospheric chemistry model can be integrated with projections from the MIT Emissions Prediction and Policy Analysis (EPPA) model to quantify the human health impacts of climate and air quality policies together. We then show how visualizations can incorporate analysis of other dimensions of equity, including socio-economic and demographic considerations, through the System for the Triage of Risks from Environmental and Socio-economic Stressors (STRESS Platform). We conclude by illustrating how these approaches can be extended to other sustainability related domains, enabling integrated analysis of multiple aspects of human well-being simultaneously.