Climate Innovation Challenge Workshop: Climate Policy Analysis Toolbox

Climate Innovation Challenge Workshop (Session II): A Machine Learning-Based Toolbox for Climate Policy Analysis

Location: HQ1 iLab, HQ1-2-701

Climate Innovation Challenge Workshop:

The workshop will open with introductory remarks from Johannes Wiegand, Advisor of the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department, and Bert Kroese, Director of the Statistics Department. It consists of two engaging sessions from winners of the IMF Climate Innovation Challenge: the PortWatch platform (Session I at 10:00 a.m., advertised separately), and the machine learning climate toolbox (Session II at 11:00 a.m.).

Session II:

In this session, the presenters will provide an overview and live demonstrations of a machine learning-based climate toolbox that helps understand game-changing emission mitigation policies. Reaching the net-zero goal is a daunting task. The level of carbon emissions has to fall substantially at a speed rarely seen in history, making it imperative to identify structural breaks in emission patterns and understand forces that could bring about such breaks. However, with highly non-stationary climate data, it is a challenging task for traditional approaches. The machine learning-based, four-pillar toolbox will address this issue, help users identify and analyze these structural breaks, and shed light on potential game-changing policies for mitigating emissions. The toolbox covers all IMF member countries and facilitates peer learning, including on adaptation policies.

Moderator


Kirpal Chauhan Innovation Officer, Office of Innovation and Change, IMF

Kirpal Chauhan is the Innovation Officer in the Office of Innovation and Change. As part of his role, he has managed several successful innovation challenges, training, and accelerator programs that have helped enable a culture of innovation and collaboration at the IMF.

Speakers


Minju Jeong Econometric Modeler, IT Department, IMF

Since joining the IT Department (ITD) in 2022, Minju Jeong has provided econometric consultations and machine learning training at the IMF and developed econometric software for research. Before joining the IMF, she was a research assistant at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, where she worked on population policy and its macroeconomic impact. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Arizona State University.


Yunhui Zhao Economist, Strategy Policy and Review Department, IMF

In addition to leading the interdepartmental team on the climate toolbox, Yunhui Zhao also leads the extension/maintenance of some IMF-wide text analysis tools. Previously, he worked in the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department's Macro Risk Unit (part of a team applying machine learning to revamp the IMF’s Vulnerability Exercise), African Department (AFR), and Monetary and Capital Markets Department. He joined the IMF in 2016 via the Economist Program, has 5+ years of country work and FSAP experience, and has over 10 publications in academic journals and IMF working papers on housing, macro-finance, monetary policy, and climate change. He initiated and coauthored the trade chapter in AFR’s April 2019 Regional Economic Outlook, which was covered by CNN and Washington Post. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from NYU.

Other Team Members: Chengyu Huang (SPR); Kei Moriya (ITD); Li Tang (ITD); Tiana Wang (AFR); Yuanchen Yang (WHD); Jiaxiong Yao (AFR, all IMF)

Closing Remarks for the Workshop:


Miroslav Delaporte Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, World Bank

Miroslav Delaporte is a Senior Advisor in the Swiss-led constituency in the Board of the World Bank Group. He has the thematic responsibility for climate change and the institutional responsibility for the International Finance Corporation. Prior to this, he led several Swiss-funded official development assistance programs in the area of sustainable finance and impact investment, and he was the Country Director for Vietnam.