How well do integrated assessment models simulate climate change?

D.P. van Vuuren, J. Lowe, E. Stehfest, L. Gohar, Andries Hof, C. Hope, R. Warren, M. Meinshausen, G.K. Plattner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Integrated assessment models (IAMs) are regularly used to evaluate different policies of future emissions reductions. Since the global costs associated with these policies are immense, it is vital that the uncertainties in IAMs are quantified and understood. We first demonstrate the significant spread in the climate system and carbon cycle components of several contemporary IAMs. We then examine these components in more detail to understand the causes of differences, comparing the results with more complex climate models and earth system models (ESMs), where available. Our results show that in most cases the outcomes of IAMs are within the range of the outcomes of complex models, but differences are large enough to matter for policy advice. There are areas where IAMs would benefit from improvements (e.g. climate sensitivity, inertia in climate response, carbon cycle feedbacks). In some cases, additional climate model experiments are needed to be able to tune some of these improvements. This will require better communication between the IAM and ESM development communities.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)255-285
Number of pages31
JournalClimatic Change
Volume104
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'How well do integrated assessment models simulate climate change?'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this