RICE Model: Regional Integrated Climate and Economy Projections

An Excel program file for the Regional Integrated model of Climate and the Economy (RICE) used to create policy scenario runs. The model projects emissions, climate change, and damages under different scenarios and calculates carbon price paths. The file was authored by William D. Nordhaus of Yale University and represents the model state as of April 26, 2010.

Use Cases

• Projecting future global warming trends based on different emissions scenarios.
• Calculating efficient carbon price paths to meet temperature targets like limiting warming to 2°C.
• Comparing policy outcomes between stated objectives under agreements like the Copenhagen Accord and no-policy scenarios.

Strengths

• Based on the established RICE model, a recognized integrated assessment framework.
• Provides specific quantitative outputs, such as a carbon price estimate of $59 per ton (2005 prices) for 2010 to meet a 2°C goal.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation are absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; the model and its underlying data are from 2010, which may limit current relevance.

Provenance

Source

William D. Nordhaus, Yale University

Collection Method

Modeling and simulation using the RICE framework.

Time Range

Projections likely cover the 21st century, with a model snapshot from April 2010.

Geography

Global and regional coverage, as suggested by the 'Regional Integrated' model name.