Projections of climate change from global climate models are a fundamental basis for mitigation, adaptation, and risk management planning across many elements of society and ecosystems around the world. Depending on the application need, scientists can use a variety of climate modeling projection sets with a range of distinguishing factors. Although the future will likely be shaped by a combination of mitigation, adaptation, and risk planning, the distinctions between these application areas can impact the choice of which climate projection set to use.
Climate projection sets begin with global climate model outputs and often include additional observational data to produce variables that are more relevant for certain applications. These datasets are constructed according to specific choices about source material, domain, resolution, and scenarios or storylines, among other factors. Different projection sets provide their own unique advantages but are often limited by tradeoffs shaped by resource constraints and the availability of supporting materials.
This two-part webinar series will provide an overview of resources for choosing climate projection sets for mitigation, adaptation, and risk management applications. The webinar will give an overview of application areas, define a list of distinguishing characteristics of climate projection sets, and then highlight the main benefits and drawbacks of different types of projection sets.