How to use the carbon calculator?

Users can create reduction scenarios using a number of components (for Colombia 37) representing the supply and demand of energy in a particular sector. For example, increasing the number of large-scale wind projects, or reducing the distance people travel by car. The combination of these options creates stage and then the calculator shows the implications of the stage in time (in terms of energy demand, emissions and land use). The results are displayed in a Web interface, making it more open and easier to understand results.

For each component of the calculator 2050 have four options to choose from, called levels of ambition. These levels refer to the amount of effort to reduce emissions, ranging from no action (Level 1), up to maximum effort given what is technically possible (Level 4).

The assumptions used to establish the levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 are very important to create a tool that allows users to build based on existing evidence and expert consultation to Colombia scenarios.

For each component there is a leaflet ("one-pager") having the context, assumptions and levels of ambition of each component in more detail. These sheets are readily available on the website of the calculator.

The Carbon Calculator can be used in three different versions:

• Excel,
• web tool, and
• games.