Defining assessment projects and scenarios for policy support: Use of ontology in Integrated Assessment and Modelling

  • Authors:

  • S. Janssen;F. Ewert;Hongtao Li;I. N. Athanasiadis;J. J. F. Wien;O. Thérond;M. J. R. Knapen;I. Bezlepkina;J. Alkan-Olsson;A. E. Rizzoli;H. Belhouchette;M. Svensson;M. K. van Ittersum

  • Affiliations:

  • Wageningen University, Plant Production Systems Group, P.O. Box 430, 6700 AK Wageningen, The Netherlands and Wageningen University, Business Economics Group, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen, Th ...;Wageningen University, Plant Production Systems Group, P.O. Box 430, 6700 AK Wageningen, The Netherlands and University of Bonn, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Katzen ...;Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence (IDSIA), Galleria 2, 6928 Manno-Lugano, Switzerland;Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence (IDSIA), Galleria 2, 6928 Manno-Lugano, Switzerland;Alterra, Environmental Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands;INRA-UMR-AGIR, Chemin de Borde Rouge BP 52627 31326 Castanet Tolosan cedex, Toulouse, France;Alterra, Environmental Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands;Wageningen University, Business Economics Group, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen, The Netherlands and LEI, Wageningen UR P.O. Box 29703, 2502 LS The Hague, The Netherlands;Lund University, Centre for Sustainability Studies, P.O. Box 170, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden;Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence (IDSIA), Galleria 2, 6928 Manno-Lugano, Switzerland;INRA-Agro M. UMR SYSTEM, Campus de La Gaillarde, Batiment 27, 2 Place Pierre Viala, 34060 Montpellier, France and CIHEAM-IAMM, 3191 route de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France;Lund University, Centre for Sustainability Studies, P.O. Box 170, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden;Wageningen University, Plant Production Systems Group, P.O. Box 430, 6700 AK Wageningen, The Netherlands

  • Venue:
  • Environmental Modelling & Software
  • Year:
  • 2009

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Abstract

Integrated Assessment and Modelling (IAM) provides an interdisciplinary approach to support ex-ante decision-making by combining quantitative models representing different systems and scales into a framework for integrated assessment. Scenarios in IAM are developed in the interaction between scientists and stakeholders to explore possible pathways of future development. As IAM typically combines models from different disciplines, there is a clear need for a consistent definition and implementation of scenarios across models, policy problems and scales. This paper presents such a unified conceptualization for scenario and assessment projects. We demonstrate the use of common ontologies in building this unified conceptualization, e.g. a common ontology on assessment projects and scenarios. The common ontology and the process of ontology engineering are used in a case study, which refers to the development of SEAMLESS-IF, an integrated modelling framework to assess agricultural and environmental policy options as to their contribution to sustainable development. The presented common ontology on assessment projects and scenarios can be reused by IAM consortia and if required, adapted by using the process of ontology engineering as proposed in this paper.