CHOICE webinar showcases interactive tools bringing food-system models closer to stakeholders

The webinar highlighted two web-based tools developed within the CHOICE project framework: the FELiX Integrated Simulation Environment (FELiX ISE) and the FABLE Calculator Interactive Simulation Environment (FABLE ISE).

The FELiX ISE builds on the existing FELiX Integrated Assessment Model developed and maintained by IIASA. Within CHOICE, IIASA and the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) developed an intuitive online interface that allows users to explore food, land-use, and behavioral change scenarios without requiring technical modelling expertise.

The FABLE ISE is based on the existing FABLE Calculator, an open-access accounting tool used to analyse the evolution of food and land-use systems between 2000 and 2050. Developed by the Environmental Reliability and Risk Analysis (ERRA) in collaboration with Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), the dashboard suite enables users to compare national food-system pathways through interactive visualisations and scenario selections.

The session featured contributions from IIASA and SDSN experts, including Sibel Eker, Ryan Yi Wei Tan, and Clara Douzal. Through conceptual presentations, live demonstrations, and practical exercises, participants explored how assumptions related to alternative proteins, land productivity, policy choices, dietary change, and food waste reduction influence sustainability outcomes.

The webinar also formed part of a wider CHOICE publication series presenting developments and applications of the FELiX and FABLE Calculator climate models. Featured articles included:

• “An Alternative Lens to the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans: A Rapid Systems Perspective using the FeliX ISE” by Ryan Yi Wei Tan, Sibel Eker, and Quanliang Ye
• “FELiX ISE: A New Interface for Exploring Sustainable Food Futures” by Nikolaos Tantaroudas
• “FELiX Regional Model: From Global Visions to Nuanced Pathways” by Sibel Eker and Quanliang Ye
• “Translating Complexity: The FABLE (ISE) Dashboard Suite Brings Sustainability Scenarios to Life” by Dimitra Samara
• “From Theory to Action: How the FABLE Calculator is Guiding Food Transition Pathways in CHOICE Pilots” by Clara Douzal

The interactive simulation environments demonstrated during the webinar are publicly accessible through the FELiX ISE platform and the FABLE ISE Dashboard. A recording of the webinar is also available online.