Assessing Earth4All's 5 Turnarounds with the iSDG Model

The Millennium Institute (MI) is thrilled to announce a new project in partnership with Earth4All (E4A). Building on our experience in over 40 countries, the project will scale the 5 Turnarounds (TAs) of the global E4A modeling work to the national level. This innovative initiative will leverage the Integrated Sustainable Development Goals (iSDG) model in two pilot countries, Austria and Kenya

The iSDG Model: A Powerful Tool for Sustainability

The iSDG is a cutting-edge System Dynamics model that captures the complex interplay of environmental, social, and economic domains of sustainable development. This comprehensive model allows users to assess the impact of policy interventions in the medium and long term. It has been successfully used by national governments to evaluate transition pathways towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The project will utilize the iSDG model's extensive repertoire of thirty-two policy interventions and four financing options. Ranging from subsidies and transfers to climate change adaptation and fiscal pressure distribution, the model has the capability to assess a wide array of policies. Making it ideally suited for evaluating the 5 TAs identified by Earth4All.

Assessing Earth4All's 5 Turnarounds with the iSDG Model

The project activities include data collection from international sources and calibration of the iSDG model to the specific national contexts of Austria and Kenya; simulating the Business as Usual (BAU) scenario, defining policy scenarios, and conducting a comprehensive analysis of the policy scenarios. We will further tailor the model to incorporate Earth4All’s five turnarounds:

The five turnarounds © Earth4All

1. End poverty: Reforming the international financial system to lift 3-4 billion people out of poverty.

2. Address gross inequality: Ensuring that the wealthiest 10% take no more than 40% of national incomes.

3. Empower women: Achieving full gender equity by 2050.

4. Transform the food system: Providing healthy diets for people and the planet.

5. Transition to clean energy: Reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

Giant Leap vs. Too Little Too Late

We will simulate two scenarios at the national level, "Giant Leap" and "Too Little Too Late".

The "Giant Leap" scenario represents an ambitious and proactive approach to address the challenges of sustainable development, while "Too Little Too Late" represents a slower response, where necessary changes are implemented, but not rapidly enough to avoid significant negative impacts.

The outcomes of these simulations will be documented in a policy analysis report, providing insights into the cost of interventions and the potential synergies and trade-offs. The report is expected to be concluded in October 2023.

This partnership between the Millennium Institute and Earth4All is a demonstration of our shared commitment to advancing sustainable development. We invite you to join this transformative journey by getting involved with the Earth4All movement. Discover the many ways you can contribute and make a real difference at earth4all.life/get-involved/.