Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP)

LEAP, the Low Emissions Analysis Platform, is a widely-used software tool for energy policy analysis and climate change mitigation assessment developed at the Stockholm Environment Institute.

LEAP is an integrated, scenario-based modeling tool that can be used to track energy consumption, production and resource extraction in all sectors of an economy. It can be used to account for both energy sector and non-energy sector greenhouse gas (GHG) emission sources and sinks. In addition to tracking GHGs, LEAP can also be used to analyze emissions of local and regional air pollutants, and short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) making it well-suited to studies of the climate co-benefits of local air pollution reduction. In particular, LEAP includes IBC: the Impact Benefits Calculator: a tool that calculates detailed health impacts (mortality and morbidity) and climate impacts (temperature change) of alternative scenarios. IBC can show the detailed benefits of policy measures in terms of avoided impacts, including how such benefits are disaggregated by gender, age, disease and other metrics.

LEAP has been adopted by thousands of organizations in more than 190 countries worldwide. Its users include government agencies, academics, non-governmental organizations, consulting companies, and energy utilities. It has been used at many different scales ranging from cities and states to national, regional and global applications.

LEAP is fast becoming the de facto standard for countries undertaking integrated resource planning, greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation assessments, and Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS) especially in the developing world, and many countries have also chosen to use LEAP as part of their commitment to report to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). At least 65 countries used LEAP to create energy and emissions scenarios that were the basis for their Nationally Determined Contributions on Climate Change (NDCs): the foundation of the historic Paris climate agreement intended to demonstrate the intent of countries to begin decarbonizing their economies and invest in climate-resilience.