The modular approach in MAGNET: GTREE + Country switches

How to feed the growing world populations and fulfil and reduce climate change impact at the same time is one of the key challenges in the world. This enormous challenge implies an increasing complexity and interconnectivity of for example the agricultural, land and energy using sectors and disciplines. The issues become so complex that modelling teams have to work together to contribute to this challenge. The philosophy of MAGNET (Modular Applied GeNeral Equilibrium Tool) is in line with the GTAP philosophy to lower entry barriers for CGE analyses and it aims to facilitate working in (cross-institutional) modelling teams for more complex models. MAGNET is a modular global CGE model that covers the whole economy and has been used extensively in agricultural, environmental and trade policy analysis. MAGNET builds on the global general equilibrium Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model and is the successor of LEITAP (Meijl, et al. 2006, Banse et al. 2008). MAGNET adopts a modular approach, whereby the standard GTAP-based core can be augmented with modules depending on the purpose of the study. Therefore MAGNET contains some institutional innovations and is supported by various tools. It supports more users, more developers, larger flexibility, greater reliability and more attractive (tools). Currently the system is used at LEI-WUR, JRC-IPTS and vTI.