Muhammad Saad Moeen is a JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellow with the Governance for Climate Change & Sustainable Development Programme at UNU‑IAS.
Dr. Moeen is jointly affiliated with UNU-IAS and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES). He is an energy policy and sustainability researcher whose work focuses on long-term development strategies for climate mitigation, net-zero transitions and sustainable development.
His current research examines pathways for achieving net-zero emissions in the energy sector in Pakistan through integrated assessments of the residential, transport, industrial and power sectors. Using bottom-up energy system models and technology-based scenario analysis, he evaluates policy options that advance decarbonization, energy security and clean air objectives while supporting sustainable economic development.
He earned his PhD in Sustainability Science from UNU-IAS, where his research developed an integrated framework for analyzing energy transitions, decarbonization and air quality improvements in the residential and transport sectors in Pakistan. His current postdoctoral research expands this work by developing a long-term development strategy for Pakistan that integrates demand-side and supply-side mitigation measures across the energy system, including industrial and power sector decarbonization pathways.
Prior to joining NIES and UNU-IAS, Dr. Moeen served as a Forecasting Specialist with the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives of Pakistan, where he contributed to national energy demand forecasting, energy outlook studies and long-term energy planning. He also worked with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), conducting research on energy economics, environmental sustainability and economic development using quantitative modeling approaches.
Dr. Moeen’s research seeks to bridge scientific analysis and policymaking by providing evidence-based pathways for achieving climate goals, improving air quality and supporting the transition to resilient and low-carbon energy systems in developing countries.
Research Interests
- Climate change mitigation
- Energy system modeling
- Energy transition and decarbonization
- Net-Zero emissions pathways
- Long-term development strategies (LTS)