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Open Science Practices in Integrated Assessment Models

List of Authors

  1. Clàudia Rodés-Bachs ,  
  2. Jon Sampedro ,  
  3. Natasha Frilingou
    ,  
  4. Francesco Gardumi
    ,  
  5. Camilla Lo Giudice
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Abstract

Background

Open science emphasizes the free and accessible dissemination of scholarly outputs to a wide audience, including scientists, stakeholders, and the general public. Its core principle is the open sharing of knowledge to enable reuse, replication, and uphold research integrity.

Methods

Using insights from a survey designed to explore the open science practices within integrated assessment modeling (IAM) teams, as well as the challenges and barriers they face, we propose an open science protocol tailored specifically to the needs of IAMs.

Results

The proposed protocol improves the transparency, accessibility, reliability, reusability, and interoperability of IAM models and results. Grounded in the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability (FAIR) and transparency, responsibility, user focus, sustainability, and technology (TRUST) principles, it supports the transformation of models’ outputs into real-world applications.

Conclusions

By fostering enhanced trust and engagement from policymakers, this protocol supports the broader adoption of open science in IAMs. It is complemented by a checklist and includes recommendations for open-source platforms and tools, simplifying workflows and minimizing the need for specialized expertise.

Plain Language Summary

Open science encourages the free sharing of research and data with scientists, policymakers, and the general public, aiming to make knowledge accessible for reuse and further development. To improve the reliability and widespread adoption of these practices, many scientific communities have developed tailored protocols and standardized methods. Integrated assessment models (IAMs), which provide quantitative insights for global environmental change and sustainable development, and feed into major scientific assessments, must be transparent and open to support informed decision-making. Based on a survey of open science practices carried out by different IAM teams, we developed a protocol to address key challenges and overcome existing barriers in the use of open science practices in integrated assessment modelling. This protocol enhances the transparency, accessibility, and reliability of IAMs and their results, fostering greater trust among policymakers and helping to transform model results into real-world applications.

Corresponding author
Clàudia Rodés-Bachs
0000-0001-6696-7685
Grant information

C.R., N.F., F.B., and C.G. acknowledge financial support from the European Union’s Horizon research program under grant agreements 101056306 (IAM COMPACT project) and 101081179 (DIAMOND project). J.S. acknowledges financial support from the Marie Curie grant agreement 101060679 (GRAPHICS project).

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Copyright
© 2025 Clàudia Rodés-Bachs (Corresponding Author, Co-Author); Jon Sampedro (Co-Author); Natasha Frilingou (Co-Author); Francesco Gardumi (Co-Author); Camilla Lo Giudice (Co-Author) Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Authors & roles

Clàudia Rodés-Bachs

Basque Center for Climate Change, Leioa, Basque Country, Spain

Roles
Corresponding Author, Co-Author, Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Validation, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
0000-0001-6696-7685

Jon Sampedro

Basque Center for Climate Change, Leioa, Basque Country, Spain

Roles
Co-Author, Conceptualization, Funding Acquisition, Methodology, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing – Review & Editing
0000-0002-2277-1530

Natasha Frilingou

Energy Policy Unit, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Politechniou 9, 157 80 Athens, Greece

Roles
Co-Author, Conceptualization, Funding Acquisition, Project Administration, Resources, Validation, Writing – Review & Editing

Francesco Gardumi

KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Brinellvägen 68, 114 28 Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden

Roles
Co-Author, Writing – Review & Editing

Camilla Lo Giudice

KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Brinellvägen 68, 114 28 Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden

Roles
Co-Author, Writing – Review & Editing
0009-0002-8895-6746

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