Tools for Integrated Sustainability Assessment: a two-track approach

Sustainable development has become an overarching policy target for the global policy arena. However, the international policy-making process and that of the individual countries remains largely sectoral in nature: a wide spectrum of international policies pursue narrow sectoral concerns and do not contribute fully enough to the achievement of broader sustainability targets. New policy tools such as Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) have therefore been adopted by the European Union to ensure that sectoral policies can be evaluated in relation to their wider sustainability impacts. However, what is really needed is a cross-sectoral approach to assessing sustainable development at an even higher, much more strategic level: Integrated Sustainability Assessment (ISA). ISA involves a longterm, comprehensive assessment of international and national policy programmes against sustainability targets and criteria. In order to perform ISA at the international level, new assessment tools and methods are needed which are rooted in a new paradigm. Sustainable development is a complex, multi-dimensional phenomenon, with a breadth and depth that cannot be fully covered by the current portfolio of ISA tools. We therefore need a new generation of ISA tools, in particular modelling tools that can (semi-)quantitatively assess the multiple dimensions of sustainable development, in terms of multiple scales, multiple domains and multiple generations. Although a new paradigm is on the horizon and its contours are gradually becoming clearer, it will take a while before it can be used to develop practical ISA tools. Within the context of the European MATISSE project we therefore propose a two-track strategy: find new ways to use the current portfolio of ISA tools as efficiently and effectively as possible, while at the same time developing building blocks to support the next generation of ISA tools

INASUD project findings on integrated assessment of climate policies

International audienceThis communication summarizes the main findings of INASUD, an Europeanwide research project on integrated assessment of climate policies. The projectaimed at improving the framing of climate policy analysis through the parallel use of various existing integrated assessment models. It provides a comprehensive examination of the link between uncertainty regarding damages and inertia in economic systems. Results show that the Kyoto targets and timing are consistent with the precautionary principle but offers little insurance for longer-term climate protection. Flexibility mechanisms offer potentials for cooperation with developing countries, and are necessary to tap the environmental and economic benefits of joint carbon and sulfur emissions abatement

Response to "To what extent, and how, might uncertainty be defined" by Norgon, Brown, and Mysiak

In a previous issue of Integrated Assessment (Vol. 4, No. 1), we proposed an uncertainty analysis framework, the aim of which was to provide a conceptual basis for the systematic treatment of uncertainty in model-based decision support activities, such as policy analysis, integrated assessment, and risk assessment. In the current issue, Norton, et al. present a critique and evaluation of the framework. This Disciplinary Perspective responds to their critique

Developing a CRISPR-based Prime Editing Workflow for Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Model Cardiac Arrhythmogenic TNNT2 Variants

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most prevalent inherited arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), affecting 1:500 individuals and the primary cause of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in youth and young adults, including elite athletes. HCM presents with an enlargement of the ventricles/septal wall, disarray of cardiomyocyte (contracting heart cells) alignment, and electrically inactive fibrotic tissue deposition. These variations to the typical cardiac composition produce substrates for chaotic electrical activity across the myocardium (the heart's muscular tissue), preventing normal contraction and relaxation cycles. Various mutations have been identified in genes encoding cardiac contractile proteins. Of concern, some patients harbouring TNNT2 gene variants (aberrant gene sequences) develop varying degrees of cardiac hypertrophy yet demonstrate a disproportionately high incidence of SCA. In this study, to better understand the effect of these variants, we are developing a CRISPR-based prime editing protocol to edit these variants into the genome of hiPSCs. In our lab, these hiPSCs are routinely differentiated into beating hiPSC-CMs, which allows us to study arrhythmias using a variety of electrophysiological (the electrical activity underpinning physical dynamics of cardiac cells) and contractility applications. Prime editing is a new system that has not yet been established to produce cardiac gene-specific edits in hiPSCs. Here, we aim to develop hiPSC-derived CMs with three known HCM associated TNNT2 variants (I79N+/-, R92Q+/-, and R278C+/-) using prime editing. Ultimately, this research provides the opportunity to understand the mechanisms underlying these variants specific arrhythmia and aid in developing symptom alleviating and curative medications, improving patients' quality of life. Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Glen Tibbits, Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser Universit