Since 1983, the Millennium Institute (MI) has been engaged in the development of capacity for sustainable development planning within governments, planning institutions, academia, the private sector, and international organizations. Over the last 20 years MI has led the development of simulation models for sustainable development planning. The seminar will provide an introduction to MI’s flagship model – the Threshold21 (T21) model – which has been applied in over 40 countries across the five continents.

T21 is a System Dynamics based model designed as a support tool for integrated national development planning. T21 is structured to analyze medium-long term development issues at the national level. The model integrates in a single framework the economic, the social, and the environmental aspects of the development process, and provides endogenous projections for key indicators in each area. T21 is fundamentally a feedback-driven model, and the dynamic interactions among variables across sectors determine the model’s behavior over time. T21 is used to support a variety of development planning exercises, including MDGs (now SDGs) analysis; Green Economy investment plans; national development plans; sustainable agriculture plans; etc. The global version of the model has also been used to support integrated global development scenarios.

MI has supported the development of sustainable policies and strategies in low, mid, and high-income countries, all facing challenges of different natures and intensities. As a consequence, each of our T21 models is different, adapted to local circumstances and policy needs – each time more robust, building on past experiences and new, emerging knowledge. The seminar will also include an overview of MI’s areas of activity and our typical planning support process, which includes open multi-stakeholder consultations and capacity development.