COP21 RIPPLES provided an integrated energy system analysis, focused on overcoming the technological, financial, policy and governance-related barriers to accelerating climate action and further development of the international climate regime complex, which is key to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and meet the Paris Agreement goals. This required an interdisciplinary approach to research, which was one of the most important features of COP21 RIPPLES. The possibility to bring together leading scholars across several disciplines has been invaluable. Learning from each other’s differences and building a common story has been an exciting challenge. Echoing Gandhi’s words, “If you want to change the world, start with yourself first”, we have definitely contributed to change how science is done, and so, science-based decision-making. Through stakeholder engagement, the project has provided input into a number of important EU and international policy discussions. Policy-makers and policy influencers have been the main beneficiaries. The co-production efforts have targeted high-level representatives of different Directorates of the European Commission (Clima, Devco, Trade, Ener, Fisma), particularly with regards to the study of EU-level governance measures assessment to strengthen the domestic and the international agendas, as well as the country-level insights that unpack the heterogeneity considerations for an effective EU transition. Moreover, scientific publications and further joint work among Consortium partners will contribute to a long-lasting impact of the project on the way climate policy addresses the challenge ahead.
Besides interdisciplinarity, COP21 RIPPLES adopted a multilevel approach to the research to respond to the need to better understand national circumstances, policy strategies and transition pathways of individual EU Member States and key non-EU countries. Therefore, individual countries are to greatly benefit from the project too. First as a result of enhanced capacities at country-level. COP21 RIPPLES has invested in national scenario model-based development under a flexible framework where local researchers have been able to characterise their scenarios according to local priorities as opposite to respond to harmonised scenario inputs parametrisation. This should allow for local scientific community to be better equipped to timely respond to the national policy discussions in the context of the revision of the NDC and the development of national Long-Term Strategies. National policy-makers are also provided with a combination of qualitative and quantitative information about the implications of the EU transition on their energy security position or industrial competitiveness. They will also find the rationale for early investment to foster learning that reduces decarbonisation costs in the long term and offers economic opportunities associated to the development of new low carbon technologies and sectors. Country representatives can explore promising technologies across different regions and the assessment of past experiences to inform their national discussions on opportunities and constraints of the innovation system. A number of recommendations are also available to inform priority areas for NDC revisions and areas of work to support short term choices that are coherent with the long term climate and development objectives, including for instance, all-important inequalities considerations.
