Background
Policy response to climate change is recognized to be complex assessment process, which needs much more comprehensive analysis. Modeling approach is widely adopted in research communities. Many research groups are now working on energy and environment modeling for climate policy assessment and the outputs from these studies contribute a lot for policy-making process. However modeling exercise itself requires a lot of effort and longer-term investment. Much difference is observed from different modeling groups in terms of methodology, model structure, data and outputs. In order to understand the modeling assessment to provide better message for policy-making processes and relative research activities, it is necessary to look in detail for these studies. Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) organized by Stanford University plays an important role for modelers to get together for the discussions on model development, sharing ideas and views on this matter at a regular base. The countries in Asia will play important role in the area of climate change, energy, environment issues. There are many research activities on modeling for climate change, energy and environment in this region. In order to make further contribution to policy making processes and academic research activities, it is important to work together for the modelers to provide understandable and transparent results. A modeling forum in this region may provide an opportunity for modelers in the region to get together, exchanging ideas and opinions like the EMF. Another consideration is related to the IPCC activities. Recently IPCC published its Third Assessment Report (TAR) that reviewed the major research outputs for last several years. It is noticed that the contribution from developing countries is very limited because of the limited research activities. As a key conclusion from IPCC TAR the capacity building in developing countries should be emphasized and to be a key future activity. In terms of modeling activities related to the climate change issues, is far behind in most of developing countries in this region. Hence, a wide participation from developing countries in the region with Japan and Korea could well contribute to the research activities in energy and climate policies.
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