GCAM-Europe v7.2.0: enhancing policy-relevant climate modelling through spatial and sectoral detail

Abstract. Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) serve as critical instruments for scenario-based analysis and have been instrumental in informing environmental policy at both global and regional scales. However, their limited geographical and sectoral scope constrains their ability to evaluate comprehensive policy packages such as the European Union's Fit-for-55. GCAM-Europe, an expansion of the well-stablished Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM) addresses this gap by explicitly representing energy, land use, agriculture, water, and emissions systems for European Member States and key non-EU countries. Operating within a global framework, the model enables integrated assessment of policy impacts both across and within European regions, while also capturing spillover effects in other regions in the world. As an open-access and continuously evolving platform, it provides a valuable tool for European researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to design, test, and evaluate climate and environmental strategies that support a just and effective climate transition.