Integrated Model to Access the Global Environment (IMAGE) is an ecological-environmental model framework that simulates the environmental consequences of human activities worldwide. It represents interactions between society, the biosphere and the climate system to assess sustainability issues such as climate change, biodiversity and human well-being.

The objective of the IMAGE model is to explore the long-term dynamics and impacts of global changes that result from interacting demographic, technological, economic, social, cultural and political factors.

Key questions addressed:

• How will the future unfold if no deliberate, drastic changes in prevailing economic, technology, and policy developments are assumed?
• How can policies and measures prevent unwanted impacts on the global environment and human development?

Sample data inputs:

• Population
• Economic development
• Lifestyle
• Policies
• Technology change
• Energy use and supply
• Food consumption and supply

Sample quantitative outputs:

• Energy use, conversion, and supply
• Agricultural production, land cover and land use
• Nutrient cycles in natural and agricultural systems
• Emissions to air and surface water
• Carbon stocks in biomass pools, soils, atmosphere and oceans
• Atmospheric emissions of GHG and air pollutants
• Concentration of GHG in the atmosphere
• Changes in temperature and precipitation
• Sea level rise
• Water use for irrigation

Access Integrated Model to Access the Global Environment (IMAGE).

Resources:

IMAGE framework introduction