Advancing Methodological Consistency in CLEWs Modelling: Introducing the Model Development Infrastructure

Climate change mitigation, resource security, and economic development are central priorities in global policymaking. Addressing these interconnected challenges requires integrated modelling approaches that capture the interactions between climate, land, energy, and water (CLEWs) systems. While the CLEWs framework provides a structured basis for such analysis, building models from scratch remains time-consuming and error-prone. Recent standardisation initiatives have improved efficiency but remain limited in scope and flexibility. This paper introduces the Model Development Infrastructure (MDI), a modular, Excel-based toolkit that streamlines the creation of CLEWs++ models – an extended version of the CLEWs framework that broadens sectoral coverage to capture nearly all greenhouse gas emissions. The MDI combines pre-loaded global datasets with user-supplied local information, enabling model development for any country while allowing customisation of scope and sectoral detail. Its components guide users through a structured workflow, from base-year calibration to model-ready input data optimised for the Open Source Energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS). Key features include wide sectoral coverage, adjustable model boundaries, accessibility for non-programmers, and a modular architecture that supports maintenance and future enhancements. Although there is space for future improvements in scalability and data integration, the MDI bridges methodological gaps in previous standardisation efforts, lowers entry barriers, improves reproducibility, and supports more comprehensive CLEWs-based policy analysis.