Report of the 2006 IMAGE Advisory Board

IMAGE model judged positively by international Advisory Board

In 2006 the latest version 2.4 of the IMAGE model was reviewed by an international Advisory Board, chaired by Prof. Leen Hordijk (IIASA). Focus of the review were the IMAGE,TIMER and FAIR models. The questions addressed were:

• their scientific quality
• their contribution to achieving the MNP goal on assessing sustainable development
• adequacy of the collaborative research partnership

Main findings on all questions were positive, though the Advisory Board indicated several issues to be addressed urgently. These include the continuation of the highly valued capability to perform policy relevant integrated assessment studies, accounting for the full range of uncertainties in the underlying scientific, technical and socio-economic processes. Careful balancing of available (human) resources between development and application of tools, and between biophysical and socio-economical orientation is an important prerequisite.

Further development of the integrated model framework, in conjunction with additional tools, to cover more aspects of sustainable development should be guided by a better articulated overall MNP strategy. Besides such more general guidance, the Advisory Board highlighted a list of specific scientific issues to be addressed in future development work, to be taken up with partners in an extended international research network.