Reconciling model results with user needs to improve climate policy

The aim of this study is to understand the ‘reconciliation process’ between model results and user needs in Participatory Integrated Assessments. This process is analyzed for the Delft Dialogue, a project in which scientists and UNFCCC delegates used the IMAGE model to assess the consequences of different climate policy proposals. The Delft Dialogue consisted of five iterations in which model results were presented and requests for new analyses were prioritized. These requests were diverse, changed over time and linked long-term model projections with short-term policy targets. We conclude that two factors played an essential role in the reconciliation process in the Delft Dialogue: (1) user requests were identified in iterative interactions and guided the selection of model analyses and (2) model analyses were co-produced by participants and modelers. This Dialogue shows that reconciliation processes can be facilitated through a transparent, interactive and iterative process where user needs are elicited to guide the choice for model analyses.