Equitable deep decarbonization: A framework to facilitate energy justice-based multidisciplinary modeling
C. Anna Spurlock, Salma Elmallah, Tony G. Reames
Abstract
Persistent, systemic harms have resulted in inequalities in wealth distribution, energy insecurity, infrastructure reliability, heat island exposure, and preexisting health conditions, all of which have exacerbated climate change driven damages. Efforts to decarbonize our energy system to address the climate crisis must seize the opportunity to reduce inequality. Doing so requires a multidisciplinary approach to assess the tradeoffs between alternative decarbonization pathways. In this Perspective we introduce an Equitable Deep Decarbonization Framework for mapping the tenets of energy justice to the practice of large-scale deep decarbonization pathways modeling designed to facilitate this multidisciplinary effort. We provide discussion of key considerations for each step of the framework to enable modeling that accounts for adaptation co-benefits associated with systematic climate risks to vulnerable communities.