Global Change Explorer – a web-based tool for investigating the complexities of global change

The Global Change Explorer (GCE) is an interactive web-based tool for investigating the complexities of global change (https://www.globalchange-uwo.ca/ ). The GCE is using the ANEMI simulation model developed at the University of Western Ontario. ANEMI simulates system dynamics to offer information on Earth's dynamic processes and the behaviours that instigate change. The main thrust of ANEMI is to explicitly integrate various sectors (natural, physical and socioeconomic) into a single model, providing effective consideration of the high-level feedback relationships between the physical environment and social adaptation. At lower levels, this relationship ends in thousands of feedbacks between various model sectors and variables. The ANEMI model is an integrated assessment model of global change that emphasizes the role of water resources. The model sectors that comprise the ANEMI3 (the current version of the model) are that of the climate system, carbon, nutrient, and hydrologic cycles, population dynamics, land use, food production, sea level rise, energy production, global economy, persistent pollution, water demand, and water supply development. The ANEMI3 model is developed using Vensim system dynamics simulation environment. The entire model code is archived using Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4025424 ) and open access. Details on how to run the model, modify inputs, and view the outputs in graphical or table formats are provided in the repository. The GCE is designed to allow the use of ANEMI3 to simulate various future scenarios related to five main themes: climate change; population dynamics; food production; water quality and water quantity. The users are presented with the opportunity to ask different questions, select simulation runs, and evaluate model outputs.