Review of the modelling methodology

To establish scientific credibility for its policy application, the RAINS and GAINS model are periodically reviewed by scientific peers.

The RAINS review in 2004

In 2004, the European Commission has contracted a team of 10 scientists to review the scientific credibility and the fitness for the purpose of policy analysis in the context of the EU's Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) programme. This review has been conducted along three pathways:

• A scientific peer review of the concept of the RAINS model and its implementation. The CAFE secretariat has commissioned an interdisciplinary review team under the leadership of Prof. Peringe Grennfelt, IVL, Sweden, to conduct an in-depth review. The review team has produced a report for the European Commission.
• A series of bilateral consultations with experts from the EU-25 Member States and industrial stakeholders to review all input data. These meetings take place between November 2003 and March 2004.
• Scientific peer reviews of the disciplinary models and assessments on which the RAINS model is based:
  • The review of the EMEP Eulerian dispersion model
  • The assessment of the World Health Organization on the health impacts of air pollutants
  • The impact assessment of the UN/ECE Working Group on Effects

A specific web site has been developed for this review.

The GAINS review in 2007

Since it has been decided to utilize, for the purposes of the 2007 revision of the NEC directive, on the extended features that are offered by the GAINS model, the European Commission has invited a team of experts from the science community, Member States and industrial stakeholders to conduct a peer review of the GAINS model. This review will be carried out in early 2007. More details will follow on this web site.

Responsible for this page: Markus Amann
Last updated: 16 Dec 2008