PHIL320

Assignment Instructions
See the screenshot of the initial setting of the C-Roads World Climate Simulator below.  It is necessary to use Google Chrome or Firefox to run the simulator.  It is recommended that you use the online version. This simulator is accessed at
http://forio.com/simulate/climateinteractive/c-learn

This is the BAU (Business as Usual) projections for temperature increase of 4.2 degrees Celsius by 2100.  Under “Graphs” the CO2 concentration is above 800 (ppmm), far above the 450 maximum indicated by scientists.  These are far above the dotted lines which indicate the scientific recommended goal to minimize the impact of climate change.  Here the current scenario matches the BAU because no changes have been made by the user.  There are drop-down menus at the top (Simulation, Graphs, etc.).  Also, the years (2100) and % on the table beneath that can be changed.  This will automatically adjust the outcomes of the online simulation.  Additionally, under “Simulation” you can adjust a category called Assumptions and Sensitivities.  See my initial simulation below.

Here you can see that I have capped emissions for every region at the year 2050 and an annual decrease of 2%, with a 3% reduction in deforestation and a 4% promotion of afforestation.   The simulation indicates that this will result in a 3.1 degree rise in temperature by the year 2100, far above the recommended limit of 2 degrees.  Under Graphs > Impacts > Sea Level Rise, I was also able to determine that the projected sea level rise would only be slightly less than the BAU level 1+ meter.  Obviously, this scenario indicates that much more needs to be done to have a positive effect on climate change and to avoid the recommended maximums (always indicated by dotted lines on the graph) in order to avoid the massive negative impacts of climate change.  Under Window > 2100 Data Table, my SIM showed the following.
Year 2100
Atmospheric CO2 concentration (ppm)639.2
Atmospheric CO2eq concentration (ppm)681.6
High climate sensitivity temperature change (ºC)4.2
Temperature change (ºC)3.1
Low climate sensitivity temperature change (ºC) 1.8
Sea level rise from 2000 (m)1.1
Go ahead and explore different simulations with variables in the table, regionally and global, and the options of the Simulation and Graphs menus from the menu bar.  See what it might take to bring about a positive effect on climate change achieve the recommended scientific limits on temperature change and CO2 levels etc.  It is good to type some notes as you go to note the different variables and your exploration of the simulation because this SIM is online and cannot be saved.  You will be composing a 250 word narrative describing your interaction with the simulation.  Also, you will want to save and upload an image of one of your SIMs in the textbox.  This can be done with any method by which you take a screenshot, upload the image to your student workspace, set the image for public viewing  (Workspace > Actions > Edit Details > Publicly Viewable) and upload it here using the Image button (12th button on the middle row of the text editor).  In Windows, you can hit the PrtScrn (Print Screen) button and use MS Paint, Windows Photo Viewer, or another program to paste it and save it.  In Firefox you can now take and save and download screenshots from the browser itself.  Any method which works for you will be fine. 
The image of your SIM and your 250 word narration of your experience and outcomes placed in the textbox and submitted complete this assignment.    
For more information, feel free to explore the following website.
http://www.ipcc.ch/
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeThe IPCC assesses the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of the risk of human-induced climate change.