Comment:

Adjusts the value of sequestered carbon as the impact of emissions on expected climate change-related damages changes over time. The default value in the interface is 0% (labeled “The annual rate of change in the price of carbon (%) (optional)” in the tool interface). However, setting this rate greater than 0% suggests that the societal value of carbon sequestered in the future is less than the value of carbon sequestered now. It has been widely argued that GHG emissions need to be curtailed immediately to avoid crossing a GHG atmospheric concentration threshold that would lead to a 3 degree Celsius or greater change in global average temperature by 2105.Some argue that such a temperature change would lead to major disruptions in economies across the world (Stern et al. 2006). Therefore, any mitigation in GHG emissions that occurs many years from now may have no effect on whether or not this crucial concentration threshold is passed. If this is the case, C sequestration in the far future would be relatively worthless and a carbon discount rate greater than zero is warranted. Alternatively, setting the annual rate of change less than 0% (e.g., -2%) suggests that the societal value of carbon sequestered in the future is greater than the value of carbon sequestered now (this is a separate issue than the value of money in the future, a dynamic accounted for with the market discount rate). This may be the case if the damages associated with climate change in the future accelerate as the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere increases. This variable is optional.