The 2004 review of the RAINS model

In 2004, the RAINS model was subject to extensive review procedures in order to establish its scientific credibility and determine its fitness for the purpose of policy analysis in the context of the EU's Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) programme and the envisaged revision of the Gothenburg Protocol of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution.

The 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.
  
• 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 (click here for the time table).
  
• 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

Important note:
The scientific peer review has been conducted at a time before the completion of some important model developments. This gave the RAINS developers a chance to incorporate important recommendations in the final model version. Because much of the work was not in its final shape, all material presented to the reviewers had to be considered as work in progress.

This web site provides on-line access to all material for the scientific peer review of the RAINS model that is carried out for the CAFE programme. It provides overview descriptions and related material on the following subjects:

• General approach
• Driving forces
• Emissions
• Emission controls and costs
• Health impacts of PM
• Health impacts of ozone
• Acidification and eutrophication
• Ozone damage to vegetation
• Optimization
• Uncertainties
• Communication

IIASA has prepared an extensive documentation for the peer review. Individual chapters of this documentation can be downloaded from the sites listed above. To download the full documentation, click here (4500 kB).

Responsible for this page: Markus Amann
Last updated: 24 Feb 2011