Modelling socio-economic and energy aspects of urban systems

• The socioeconomic and energy model of an urban integrated assessment tool is presented.
• A number of scenarios are implemented for London, UK.
• Linkages between economic development, employment and energy poverty are quantified.
• The model can improve decision making in urban planning.

There is an urgent need to limit greenhouse gas emissions from cities if ambitious mitigation targets are to be met. On the other hand the economic crisis and the ambiguous relationship of inequality with economic growth have raised the issue of energy poverty. The need to connect economic activity with employment, energy poverty, climate change is becoming increasingly recognised. This paper describes the socioeconomic–energy–environmental component of an urban integrated assessment facility developed by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, which simulates socio-economic change, energy demand, climate impacts and greenhouse gas emissions over the course of the twenty first century at the city scale. The research is focussed upon London, UK, a city that has taken a lead role in the UK and globally with respect to energy poverty and climate protection. The paper demonstrates, through the implementation of several scenarios, quantifiable synergies and conflicts between economic development, employment and energy poverty in order to improve decision making in achieving sustainable and equality outcomes for cities.