Addressing global climate change and promoting sustainable development require systematic analysis of the complex interactions between socioeconomic development, energy technologies, industrial evolution, environmental feedbacks , and policy instruments . Traditional single modeling tools often fail to capture cross-system dynamics, limiting the accuracy and comprehensiveness of climate policy evaluation. To fill this gap, the research team from the School of Ecology & Environment, Renmin University of China has developed a comprehensive COMPASS framework for cutting-edge climate and energy research.
The COMPASS team recently presents a systematic overview of this framework . The modeling methodologies are described in detail, including m ain modules , sectors and regions, calculation principles, and policy evaluation methods. It can help foster transparency and knowledge sharing within the community of modelers and researchers in the field of climate governance.
The team published their article in Energy and Climate Management on June 26, 2026.
“ COMPASS establishes a unified and collaborative modeling framework consisting of four core components: the CE3-CGE computable general equilibrium model, the PECE bottom-up energy technology model, the localized GCAM-CHN integrated assessment model, and hybrid econometric-machine learning models. Each performs distinct and complementary functions. CE3-CGE captures macroeconomic and cross-regional policy impacts , PECE provides refined techno-economic analysis of sectoral energy transition and low-carbon technologies , GCAM-CHN supports long-term cross-sectoral decarbonization pathway simulation, and econometric and machine learning tools enhance empirical verification, nonlinear pattern identification, and prediction accuracy . This multi-model integration enables COMPASS to balance macroeconomic consistency and technological granularity, covering both long-term low-carbon transition pathways and short-term economic fluctuations. It address es the limitations of conventional single-model analysis ” , said Jun Pang, corresponding author of the paper, professor in the School of Ecology & Environment at Renmin University of China .
The team illustrates COMPASS typical applications. It has been widely applied to evaluate the socioeconomic impacts of climate policies, quantify the mitigation potential and costs of key low-carbon technologies, simulate sectoral energy transition pathways, and analyze co-benefits of decarbonization on environmental quality and social welfare. Its soft-linking mechanism ensures data consistency and result robustness across different models, greatly improving the credibility of climate policy assessment. Jun Pang said, “ COMPASS is tailored to China’s unique energy and economic context. It provides customized scenario simulation and policy evaluation for national and provincial low-carbon planning, carbon market construction, and industrial decarbonization, offering reliable quantitative support for China’s 2060 carbon neutrality governance ” .
The team expects the paper to guide model users and spur further model integration to eliminate systematic deviations caused by independent model operation. “ The ultimate goal is to build a more precise, transparent, and universal climate governance modeling framework , empowering scientific decision-making for China’s low-carbon transition and providing novel methodological references for global climate policy research ” , said Jun Pang.
Other contributors include Wendan Zhang, Yanhua Wang, Lu Cheng, Shihui Zhang, Xunzhang Pan, and Ke Wang
from the School of Ecology & Environment at Renmin University of China .
T his work was supported by the Major Program No. 24&ZD105 of the National Social Science Foundation of China.
D OI Link:
https://doi.org/10.26599/ECM.2026.9400036
Energy and Climate Management
COMPASS: a comprehensive Climate-gOvernance Modeling & Policy ASsessment System supporting cutting-edge climate research
26-Jun-2026