What is MACTool? 

The Marginal Abatement Cost Tool (MACTool) is a transparent, flexible software tool which provides an easy way for building marginal abatement cost curves, and for calculating break-even carbon prices. The user-friendly interface guides users through a simple data entry process, which generates marginal abatement cost curves.

What does MACtool do?

There is a growing demand for low-carbon planning support due as governments work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security.  However, low carbon planning is a complex, iterative process.  MACTool helps governments answer the following questions: 

• Among available mitigation options, which will be the most efficient and cost-effective?

• What are the potential results associated with each option?

• What does it cost to implement each option?

MACTool helps policymakers compare the costs and benefits of emission reduction options that can be used to build low-carbon scenarios at a national or sub-national level. It provides a cost-benefit comparison of these options and an estimate of the incentives needed to make these options attractive for the private sector by calculating break-even carbon prices. It also enables governments to assess the total investment needed to shift towards low carbon growth. MACTool can also be used to test the possibility of a domestic cap and trade system, by exploring which sectors would be likely to respond to a given carbon price.

MACTool builds a reference scenario and low carbon scenarios for each individual low-carbon option. It allows users to schedule investments for low carbon alternatives along the planning period. It calculates the differential in emissions, investments, costs and revenues between the scenarios, and generates customized curves that make it easy to visualize options.

What other countries have implemented MACTool?

Brazil, Macedonia, Romania, South Africa, Ukraine and Vietnam have implemented or are currently implementing MACTool.

Is there any training or support on how to use MACtool?

MACTool comes with embedded videos providing users with step-by-step guidance on using MACTool. Additionally, ESMAP provides training and varying levels of operational and technical support to teams using MACTool. Training can be arranged for qualified teams.

For more information, or to request access to download the tool, please contact Pedzi Makumbe at esmap@worldbank.org

Low Carbon Development > Climate Resilience and Adaptation > Modeling Tools and E-Learning: MACTool