The launch version of the Climate Collaboratorium uses a single climate model, C-LEARN.
C-LEARN is a Web-based version of C-ROADS, a simulation of Sustainability Institute and Ventana Systems that is part of the Climate Interactive effort. In the Collaboratorium, C-LEARN is the primary climate model. It takes greenhouse gas emission and deforestation/aforestation targets as inputs and provides outputs such as atmospheric concentrations
The model's inputs are:
- Targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction
- Targets for reductions in deforestation and increases in aforestation
Its outputs are:
- Atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2)
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- Increase in global mean temperature (GMT)
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Overview
- above baseline year
This writeup about Name C-LEARN contains three primary sections Brief description
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- overview
High level description of the model; information about its developers and their institutional affiliation; the model's history and how it can be accessed; documentation and key publications.
- C-LEARN attributes
The model's geographic scope and resolution; its start date, end date, and time step; its data sources; its approach for dealing with uncertainty; and its overall structure.
- C-LEARN modules
- Regional CO2 emissions
- Other greenhouse gases
- Land use
- Carbon cycle
- Climate
- Sea level rise
Return to Models
Model attributes
Model type Quick running climate model (get exact text from scientific review)
Geographic scope Global
Geographic resolution 3 regions or emission reduction targets, global for deforestation/aforestation targets
Start date 2000
End date 2100
Time step 1 year
Approach for addressing risk/uncertainty Model outputs to not show level of uncertainty associated with simulation
Data sources
- Country-level CO2 emissions from fossil fuels from Global, Regional, and National Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions. Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy.
- CO2 emissions from changes in land use from Carbon Flux to the Atmosphere from Land-Use Changes 1850-2005 Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy.
- GDP and population from Statistics on World Population, GDP and Per Capita GDP, 1-2006 AD Conference Board and Groningen Growth and Development Centre, Total Economy Database.
- Business As Usual CO2 emissions projections are calibrated to the IPCC SRES scenarios with the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s World Energy Outlook 2007 allocations between regions.
- Population and GDP projections are based on the United Nations’ World Population Prospects 2004 forecast and IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2008 GDP forecast, respectively.
Key modules and linkages between them
C-LEARN/C-ROADS is comprised of six sub-models:
- Regional CO2 emissions
- Other greenhouse gasses (CH4 and N2O)
- Land use
- Carbon cycle
- Global Average Surface Temperature
- Sea level rise
Model diagram
Module: Regional CO2 emissions
Description
Input variables
Key assumptions Explain in words and include equations if available
Output variables
Module: Other greenhouse gasses (CH4 and N2O)
Description
Input variables
Key assumptions Explain in words and include equations if available
Output variables
Module: Land use
Description
Input variables
Key assumptions Explain in words and include equations if available
Output variables
Module: Carbon cycle
Description
Input variables
Key assumptions Explain in words and include equations if available
Output variables
Module: Global Average Surface Temperature
Description
Input variables
Key assumptions Explain in words and include equations if available
Output variables
Module: Sea level rise
Description
Input variables
Key assumptions Explain in words and include equations if available
Output variables
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