Abstract for: The Road from Copenhagen: Supporting International Climate Negotiations with the C-ROADS Simulation

Misunderstandings about the global, long-term impact of proposals for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions and the lack of analytical capacity are impeding negotiations toward global agreements to mitigate GHG emissions under the UNFCCC. One contributor to the failure of the Copenhagen climate conference is the lack of transparent, documented, models policymakers can use in real time to design and test policy alternatives. The C-ROADS climate policy simulation has proved to be an effective tool to aid policymakers and build shared understanding of the response of the global climate to GHG emissions scenarios and proposals by individual nations and regions. C-ROADS is a scientifically-vetted model that allows users to examine the impact of proposed GHG emissions paths, specified at the level of individual nations or blocs (such as the European Union), on global GHG concentrations, mean global surface temperature, and sea level. C-ROADS is currently being used by a number of key UNFCCC parties. Here we describe how the C-ROADS simulator was used to support the negotiations in Copenhagen and how the model is being enhanced and used to create a transparent, documented, scientifically sound platform for collaboration among multiple nations.