JCM: History of Development

Early development: Spring 2000

The idea was born out of frustration at the lack of connection between climate science and policy, as observed from personal experience both investigating CO2 fluxes in the laboratory, and attending UN climate conventions. (See About the Author)

The first stage was a simple java applet, demonstrating the flexible "contraction and convergence" policy framework, whose concept was developed with Global Commons Institute in summer 1996.

ChooseClimate website was launched in April 2000 to provide an independent "home" for JCM to consider a wider range of options and scientific issues, also initially persuing the concept of a global climate referendum. This work was carried out at home, in Norwich.

Core Science: Copenhagen, Winter 2000 - 2001

The next stage developed in Copenhagen, together with Jesper Gunderman of Danish Energy Agency, and Peter Laut of Danish Technical University.

Firstly a version was developed for display in the "Experimentarium" in Copenhagen, supported by EnergiMiljoradet. The interface was improved and the code internationalised, to support Danish and Swedish versions.

After COP6, the core carbon and climate science modules were developed to match the predictions of IPCC-TAR, using an effecient eigenvector calculation method originally developed by DEA-CCAT for an earlier web model.

"Nomad with laptop" - Spring 2001

After a visit to Arendal Norway, JCM travelled to Scotland, persuing a project proposal with Edinburgh university, also working a few weeks at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. The sea-level and radiative forcing components were improved, and the timescale extended for longterm impacts.

Then followed a "European tour" of many conferences and institutes during summer 2001 (see list below)

Synthesis questions: UNEP-GRID, Autumn 2001

Development continued at UNEP-GRID Arendal, Norway, from mid-August to the end of 2001, with an interval around COP7, Marrakech.

Here the emphasis was on improving the design of the user interface and documentation, focussed around introductory questions inspired by the new IPCC Synthesis report. The stabilisation scenarios were implemented to complement the SRES. Following a "peer-review" process, a version was launched on the new UNEP.net climate portal at COP7.

A scripting code was developed for automatic demonstrations of key points. This was also adapted for "remote control" across the web, exploring the model's potential as a framework for global dialogue. Further translations were also made, to Russian, French, Norwegian.

Cross-cutting issues: Louvain-la-neuve, January 2002

A productive month was spent at University Catholique de Louvain, Belgium, developing some cross-cutting topics related to regional emissions and impacts, and exploring the potential for further cooperation.

Biogeochemical cycles: Bern, since February 2002

Current development is in Klima und Umwelt Physik, University of Bern, working with Fortunat Joos, and supported by Swiss BUWAL. Here the emphasis is on the atmospheric chemistry and terrestrial biosphere component of the carbon cycle, to match the latest version of Bern-CC model. See also

What's New

Conferences and seminars

Additionally, JCM has been demonstrated in many corners of Europe, including:

DCESS Copenhagen

Earth System Processes conference, Edinburgh

Edinburgh Centre for Human Ecology,

Tyndall Centre, UEA

Reading University

IGBP open science conference, Amsterdam July 2001

PIK Potsdam

CICERO Oslo

UNFCCC COP6.5 Bonn and COP7 Marrakech (special event)

IPCC plenaries in London, Geneva

Proclim conference, Bern