TITLE:
Development of an Agent-Based Model and Its Application to the Estimation of Global Carbon Emissions
AUTHORS:
Paula Castesana, Salvador Puliafito
KEYWORDS:
Agent-Based Modeling; Carbon Emissions; Economic Growth; Energy Consumption; Population Dynamics
JOURNAL NAME:
Low Carbon Economy,
Vol.4 No.4A,
December
3,
2013
ABSTRACT:
With the purpose of studying the
influence of population dynamics and economic growth on energy consumption and
carbon emissions, an endogenous economic growth model is proposed incorporating
physical and human capital and using an Agent-Based Model. The model can test
different development strategies by identifying the key factors existing at the
agent level that may speed up or slow down a given path, and therefore it is an
interesting tool to develop and to test mitigation and/or adaptation measures.
Favorable scenarios may be possible in societies that encourage investment in
human capital through education and technological development, provided that
this is accompanied by a reduction in consumption rates and the creation of
physical capital by the population. Moreover, this model shows that human
capital resulting from education not only raises productivity, but also plays a
key role in the development and adoption of new technologies that drive
long-term growth.