C-ROADS Update Available – Download version 3.0 today!

February 2, 2012 by Ellie Johnston

Every new release of C-ROADS marks an exciting milestone for the small team here at Climate Interactive that began creating this model three years ago and continue to advance it in a world where the need for better understanding of the dynamics of climate and policy is greater than ever. From Copenhagen to Washington, and most recently, to Durban, C-ROADS has added scientifically-vetted analysis to the conversation and efforts to address climate change.

To build on the successes and address feedback from users, version 3.0 of C-ROADS adds many new features to this already robust simulator. We hope that these additional features and updates improve the effectiveness of your climate change efforts.

With the new version of C-ROADS you can…

• Test the sensitivity of the model results to different parameters under the Sensitivity Tab
• Analyze policies with new types of emissions targets such as emissions per capita
• Adjust GDP and population assumptions
• Examine six new graphs for outputs such as GDP and population
• Facilitate the World Climate role-playing exercise using the new control panel

Please download the new version of C-ROADS by logging into Climate Interactive or requesting access by filling out our download request form. A video tutorial and version release notes are also available on our website to guide you through the new features.

For an online demonstration of C-ROADS and the new features please join us on February 14, 2012 at 15:00 GMT (10:00 EST). Please RSVP to reserve your spot at this web event at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/728788440.

More detail on the new features:

Model Sensitivity testing with the new Sensitivity tab

You can now test the sensitivity of C-ROADS results to eleven key parameters in the Sensitivity pane. They include:

• climate sensitivity
• ocean mixing
• CO2 fertilization
• biomass loss from afforestation
• carbon cycle: land and Ocean Uptake
• methane Emissions from biological activity
• methane emissions from permafrost and clathrates
• temperature threshold for permafrost and clathrates
• Emissions/GDP: Ref Scenario
• Emissions/Capita: Ref Year
• Emissions/Capita: Ref Scenario

Changes in the Emissions Targets input controls– Additional Target types

On the Emissions Targets tab there are three new target types:

• Emissions/GDP: Ref Scenario
• Emissions/Capita: Ref Year
• Emissions/Capita: Ref Scenario

The full set of target types now looks like the image on the right. We have renamed the menu choices to help point out the differences and similarities.

Population and GDP controls

In the new “Population and GDP” tab, assumptions within the selected Reference scenario about population and GDP may be adjusted using the controls found in this new input pane.

Additional output graphs

Six additional graphs have been added to the graph viewing panes.  Under the “ Other” menu on the left graphs pane there  are country/bloc level graphs for Population, GDP, GDP per capita and Gross World Product per capita. On the right graph pane, under the “per Capita” menu there are two new graphs for Global emissions per capita and Global emissions per Gross World product. These two variables are also present on the corresponding country/bloc level graphs as points of reference.

New World Climate Exercise tab

We have added controls to enable C-ROADS to be used for facilitating the World Climate role playing exercise. With the press of a button on the main page you can set up a 6-Region simulation and activate the controls on the World Climate Exercise pane and deactivate most of the other input controls to provide a clean, simplified version of C-ROADS for use with World Climate. The controls allow World Climate type inputs of “Growth Stop Year,” “Decline Start Year,” and “Annual emissions reduction (%/year).” Forestry inputs are also controllable as a 0-1 index for deforestation and afforestation by country or bloc.

Recalibration of the Reference Scenarios

We recently updated the Reference Scenarios (RS) to improve our methodology for downscaling from the more spatially aggregated data sources, i.e., SRES scenarios and EMF22 models. As a result, the global projections for BAU emissions remain largely unchanged but the allocation of future BAU emissions between C-ROADS regions has shifted. Specifically, our new default, which remains based on SRES A1FI, now has a greater share of the global emissions coming from the Developed and Developing non-MEF regions.  As before, the user can choose among the suite of reference scenarios or base model runs on a customized, user-designed reference scenario.