INTERACTION · resIlieNT EneRgy systems for climAte Change and susTaInable develOpmeNt

A primary challenge in the near future is to accelerate improvements in human well-being as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and mitigate climate change, as required by the Paris Agreement. INTERACTION recognises that access to energy correlates with improved well-being, that climate change mitigation and adaptation require a rapid transition to sustainable, renewable energy sources, and that stakeholder engagement is key to the success of energy transformations. INTERACTION will bridge the gap between high-level modeling of energy systems and evaluation of solutions by working with scientific partners to develop energy-transition pathways, translate model results to realistic implementation strategies in least-developed partner countries through stakeholder workshops, and to provide regionally-specific feedback to the modelling community. Evaluation of results will lead the researcher to gain skills through on-site assessments and participatory engagement with stakeholders, focusing on the multi-dimensional development priorities and commitments made by governments to SDGs and climate change mitigation. An innovative and interdisciplinary process is proposed by INTERACTION, leveraging strong existing partnerships in selected countries to work with local actors, enabling consultation and discussion to develop alternative energy-system plans, while contributing to energy-system transformations and ensuring consistency between these plans and countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement's, climate change adaptation strategies, and SDGs. This country-specific research will provide case studies relevant for other regions as well as fulfill the goal of the MSCA by enabling the researcher to diversify his expertise in energy systems from a theoretical and macro-level to implementation at an international level and in developing countries.