Overview

Background

In response to a request from the National Planning Commission (NPC) of Namibia, UN DESA has implemented, in collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) a joint capacity development initiative coordinated by the Economic Analysis and Policy Division (EAPD) and the Division for Public Institutions and Digital Governance (DPIDG), in partnership with the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) in Namibia, the Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN ECA). The CLEWS project intended to support the assessment of policy strategies to implement the Harambee Prosperity Plan II (2021-2025) and NDP6 and pave the way for embedding the methodology into the national development process. UN DESA proposed CLEWS as quantitative modelling methodology to address the current challenges facing Namibia when it comes to intersectoral policy integration in the areas of climate, land, energy, and water. The CLEWs initiative aimed to support the government in transitioning from sectoral to integrated policy making. It did so by enhancing the capacities of the Government in adopting the Climate, Land, Energy and Water systems (CLEWs) integrated assessment for identifying and managing trade-offs and synergies in policy and strategy formulation. Through the initiative, a CLEWs model for Namibia was created via a collaboration between UNDESA, KTH and a Technical Working Group nominated by NPC. This documentation presents such model, its objective, scope and assumptions.

About the Climate, Land, Energy, Water systems (CLEWs) framework

The Climate, Land, Energy, and Water Systems (CLEWS) tool is a comprehensive and integrated modeling framework designed to analyze the interactions and interdependencies between climate, land, energy, and water systems. This tool provides policymakers, researchers, and planners with a robust and versatile platform to assess the impacts of various policy and investment decisions on these interconnected systems. The CLEWS tool takes a holistic approach to analyze the complex interactions among climate, land, energy, and water, recognizing that changes in one system can have significant implications for the others. By incorporating a wide range of data and parameters, the tool enables users to assess the current state and potential future scenarios for each system and understand the potential trade-offs and synergies between them. At its core, the CLEWS tool consists of an integrated modeling framework that captures the behavior of climate, land, energy, and water systems, as well as the feedback loops and dynamic interactions between them. The tool incorporates diverse datasets, including historical and projected climate data, land cover and land use data, energy production and consumption data, water availability and demand data, and socio-economic indicators. These inputs allow users to generate scenarios and analyze the impacts of various policies and investments on the four systems. The CLEWS tool offers multiple functionalities to support decision-making processes. Users can explore different future scenarios by adjusting parameters and assumptions, enabling them to evaluate the potential impacts of alternative policies or investments. The tool also allows for the assessment of trade-offs and synergies across the four systems. For example, a proposed renewable energy project may have positive implications for climate change mitigation but could also affect water availability or land use patterns. The CLEWS tool enables users to quantify and compare these trade-offs to make informed decisions. Furthermore, the CLEWS tool can incorporate policy instruments and financial considerations to facilitate the evaluation of costs and benefits associated with various options. This allows policymakers and planners to assess the economic viability of different strategies and identify potential barriers or opportunities for implementation. The CLEWS tool has been applied in various sectors and contexts, including climate action, agriculture, energy infrastructure development, and water resource management. Its versatility and ability to capture the dynamic and complex interactions between climate, land, energy, and water make it a valuable resource for decision-makers seeking to navigate the challenges and trade-offs presented by these interconnected systems.

The modelling tool used (OSeMOSYS)

The Open Source Energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS) was used to build a CLEWs model for Namibia. OSeMOSYS is an advanced energy modelling tool that allows for the analysis and optimization of complex energy systems. It is widely used in the field of energy planning and policy making to evaluate different scenarios and make informed decisions regarding the future of energy systems. CLEWs models are implemented with a modified version of the standard OSeMOSYS code, where additional parameters, variables and constraints have been added to be able to capture land, water and climate system dynamics. The tool is based on a linear programming framework, which enables the user to include a fully flexible set commodities, technologies, and constraints in a model. It can be used to model various land, energy and water systems and sub-systems as well as their impact on and vulnerability to climate change. OSeMOSYS incorporates a representation of the technical and economic characteristics of different technology options, as well as factors like emissions, resource availability, and policy objectives. One of the key features of OSeMOSYS is its ability to handle high levels of complexity. It allows for the representation of multiple regions or countries, each with its own demand profiles, resource availability, and policy constraints. This makes it a powerful tool for analyzing regional or global energy systems and understanding the interactions between different regions. Each CLEWs model is made up of a data structure specifically adapted to the relevant context for which is it to be applied, and a version of the OSeMOSYS source code.