Discover RIAT+: supporting air policies in 13 EU regions

RIAT+ (Regional Integrated Assessment Tool PLUS) is a regional integrated assessment modeling application developed during the OPERA project (LIFE09 ENV/IT/000092) that supports decision makers and engineers to identify optimal emission reduction measures to improve air quality at minimum cost.

The system allows a choice between two different decision paths: scenario analysis and optimization. The main outputs of RIAT+ consist of quantification of emission reductions over the domain, a table with the application rates for each technology used, a series of maps of the main air quality indicators (AQIs), and the Pareto Curve that provides the best efficient solutions that can be implemented at varying costs to be incurred (only in the case of optimization).

RIAT+ uses nonlinear relationships identified by means of artificial neural networks (ANNs) trained to replicate the results of a limited set of simulations performed by users with deterministic air quality models.

Product application

RIAT+ has been tested and applied in different European regions and with different specific objectives:

in Emilia-Romagna (IT) in “optimization” mode to evaluate the effectiveness of measures (both technical and non-technical) contained in the regional air quality plan;
in Alsace (FR) in “optimization” mode to support the implementation of a regional action plan designed to identify the most effective technical and energy measures;
in Lombardy (IT) in “scenario analysis” mode to assess the costs and benefits in terms of air quality of the actions present within the regional air quality plan;
in Brussels Capital Region (BE) in “scenario analysis” mode to evaluate a set of measures effective in reducing emissions from traffic and domestic heating;
in the Porto Region (PT) in “optimization” mode to determine the most efficient measures to be applied in the Great Porto area and to be included within the air quality plan.

RIAT+ is the integrated assessment modeling application used within the CLIMAERA project as a support tool for partner regions in developing sectoral public policies. This tool has helped build effective synergies between climate/energy policies and air quality protection, leading to improved quality of life in the regions involved. CLIMAERA is part of the Italy-France Alcotra cross-border cooperation program, under the auspices of the European Union over a three-year period (2017 -2020). The project partner regions are Liguria, Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta for Italy and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes for France. RIAT+ was used to evaluate the measures in the regional integrated air plan 2030 of Emilia Romagna Region and those in all the plans of the regions belonging to the Po River Basin in the PREPAIR project.

The strengths of RIAT+

The RIAT+ architecture is designed to provide a flexible, customizable, and scientifically robust system suitable for meeting environmental planning needs in even the most diverse contexts.

One of the main strengths of RIAT+ is the adoption of a scalable approach, which allows the system to be applied at various spatial scales, from small local areas to entire regions or states. This makes it an extremely versatile tool, capable of adapting to both realities with high data availability and contexts with more limited information.

An additional distinguishing feature is its methodological flexibility. RIAT+ allows the user to select among different evaluation approaches, offering the possibility of conducting scenario analysis in both detailed (with high spatial and sectoral resolution data) and aggregated (more simplified, useful at the exploratory or preliminary stage) forms. In addition, the user can opt for environmental measure optimization methods, which are ideal for identifying solutions that maximize environmental outcomes while minimizing economic costs, or for multi-objective approaches, which simultaneously take into account different environmental, economic and social objectives.

RIAT+ also stands out for its ability to conduct comparative assessments of air quality policies, helping decision makers compare the effectiveness of alternative strategies and select the most promising ones. Thanks to an integrated architecture, the application is capable of processing and cross-referencing different types of data, including emission inventories, atmospheric dispersion models, weather-climate data and socio-economic data, facilitating a comprehensive and multidimensional analysis of the problem.

An additional added value is the ability to assess greenhouse gas emissions as well, thus integrating the climate dimension into air quality planning and fostering a synergistic approach between environmental policies.

RIAT+ was developed with open-source technologies and offers an intuitive and user-friendly graphical interface that is accessible even to users who are not modeling experts, facilitating dialogue between technicians, policy makers, and local stakeholders.

Identify optimal emission reduction measures for improving air quality while minimizing costs with RIAT+.

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