Ricardo experts examine EU climate policy within a global context at NDC ASPECTS gathering

Transitioning to climate neutrality must become a central objective of policymaking throughout the world if the objectives of the Paris Agreement are ever to be met. 

This was one of the key messages delivered by Ricardo’s expert representatives at NDC ASPECTS, an international policy and research conference that took place in Brussels on 9-10th July 2024.

Organised by NDC ASPECTS, a project funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, and 4i-TRACTION, a project charged with analysing climate policy options for EU member states, the two-day event was attended by policy teams, research institutes and climate analysts to discuss upcoming challenges in the EU’s transition to climate neutrality.

During the event, Dr. Panagiotis Fragkos and Dr. Faidra Filippidou from E3 Modelling (E3M), a team within Ricardo specialising in energy, environment and transportation modelling services, offered their analysis on how the EU and global climate policy can be transformed to pave the way towards net-zero emissions. 

Panagiotis, who leads E3M’s Global Energy Markets and Integrated Assessment Modelling team, presented the final results of Work Package 2, which develops new, innovative and sustainable global mitigation pathways to meet the Paris Agreement goals.  Using the Integrated Assessment Model, PROMETHEUS, he provided insights on how the upscale of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term targets of major emitting economies can bend the global emissions curve in this critical decade. 

Meanwhile, Faidra, E3M’s Deputy Director of the Energy Efficiency team, presented insights from the EU27 Modelling with the PRIMES Buildings model. In her presentation, she highlighted what successful decarbonisation means at the sector level, and specifically for the buildings sector, by identifying viable socio-technical strategies for buildings transformation. She also provided detailed analyses of technological options such as electrification, efficiency improvements, deep building retrofits, and integration of renewable energy technologies.  

All presentations from the conference can be found at https://www.ndc-aspects.eu/news-events/ndc-aspects-final-event-managing-transition-net-zero-eu-climate-policy-global-context