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Thematic Guide to Integrated Assessment Modeling
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Diversity
It is important to recognize that ideological and disciplinary backgrounds influence the selection and integration of different disciplinary components in IA studies. As noted in section 5, IA models depend heavily upon source disciplines for their substance. In IA modeling the determination of source and feeder disciplines is not completely random. Historical funding patterns and agency associations can bring certain favored approaches to the analysis. Encouraging a diversity of IA modelling approaches will be aided by securing a greater diversity of funding sources for IA. This can be done by gaining support through agencies in addition to those that have tradionally supported this endeavour. Just as funding patterns can affect the realization of source disciplines, funding patterns of IAs also create source regions. Currently all IA modelling is carried out in the industrialized countries, leaving a clear lack of input and perspectives from non-industrialized regions. Their inclusion in the IA community is vital in securing legitimacy for IA on a truly international basis.
