The need to operationalize climate modelling

Journal Article · 02 November 2023 · Nature Climate Change

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01849-4 · OSTI ID:2335887

Jakob, Christian  ^[1]; Gettelman, Andrew ^[2]; Pitman, Andrew J.  ^[3]

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1. Monash University, Melbourne, VIC (Australia)
2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
3. University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW (Australia)

We report climate models have changed the world. Starting out as simple globally averaged representations of vertical energy exchanges in the atmosphere in the 1950s, today’s climate models are highly complex numerical representations of the Earth system based on the fundamental laws of physics. Their development has largely been driven by scientific curiosity, with the many approximate virtual representations of Earth available today enabling the interrogation of the past and present climate system and the development of an understanding of the influence of human activity on its future. It is this understanding that underpins the climate mitigation targets enshrined in the Paris Agreement to limit global mean temperature increases.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 2335887
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA--190788
• Journal Information: Nature Climate Change, Journal Name: Nature Climate Change Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 13; ISSN 1758-678X
• Publisher: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English