The 2008 WITCH Model: New Model Features and Baseline
30.08.2009
Valentina Bosetti, Massimo Tavoni, Enrica De Cian, Alessandra Sgobbi
O33, O41, Q43
Climate Policy, Hybrid Modelling, Integrated Assessment, Technological Change
Climate Change and Sustainable Development
Carlo Carraro
WITCH is an energy-economy-climate model developed by the climate change group at FEEM. The model has been extensively used in the past 3 years for the economic analysis of climate change policies. WITCH is a hybrid top-down economic model with a representation of the energy sector of medium complexity. Two distinguishing features of the WITCH model are the representation of endogenous technological change and the game–theoretic set-up. Technological change is driven by innovation and diffusion processes, both of which feature international spillovers. World countries are grouped in 12 regions which interact with each other in a setting of strategic interdependence. This paper describes the updating of the base year data to 2005 and some new features: the inclusion of non-CO2 greenhouse gases and abatement options, the new specification of low carbon technologies and the inclusion of reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation.