Doing better rather than promising more: a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies

A growing number of scientists are expressing concerns about the inadequacy of climate change policies. Fewer are questionning the dominant climate modelling paradigm and the IPCC’s success to prevent humanity from venturing unprepared into hitherto unknown territories. However, in view of an urgent...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Douville, H.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 2025
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173239
_version_ 1855526919532969984
author Douville, H.
author_browse Douville, H.
author_facet Douville, H.
author_sort Douville, H.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description A growing number of scientists are expressing concerns about the inadequacy of climate change policies. Fewer are questionning the dominant climate modelling paradigm and the IPCC’s success to prevent humanity from venturing unprepared into hitherto unknown territories. However, in view of an urgent need to provide readily available data on constraining uncertainty in local and regional climate change impacts in the next few years, there is a debate on the most suitable path to inform both mitigation and adaptation strategies. Examples are given how both common statistical methods and emerging technologies can be readily used to exploit the wealth of existing knowledge to drive adaptation policy. Parsimonious and equitable approaches on constraining uncertainty are promoted that combine various lines of evidence, including model diversity, large ensembles, storylines, and novel statistical methods applied on well-calibrated, global and regional, Earth System simulations, to deliver more reliable climate information. As examplified by the Paris agreement on desirable global warming targets, it is argued that the display of unrealistic ambitions may not be the best way for climate modellers to accomplish their long-term objectives, especially given the growing consensus on climate emergency and the allocated short time for the knowledge to be delivered and applied.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace173239
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1732392025-10-26T13:01:28Z Doing better rather than promising more: a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies Douville, H. A growing number of scientists are expressing concerns about the inadequacy of climate change policies. Fewer are questionning the dominant climate modelling paradigm and the IPCC’s success to prevent humanity from venturing unprepared into hitherto unknown territories. However, in view of an urgent need to provide readily available data on constraining uncertainty in local and regional climate change impacts in the next few years, there is a debate on the most suitable path to inform both mitigation and adaptation strategies. Examples are given how both common statistical methods and emerging technologies can be readily used to exploit the wealth of existing knowledge to drive adaptation policy. Parsimonious and equitable approaches on constraining uncertainty are promoted that combine various lines of evidence, including model diversity, large ensembles, storylines, and novel statistical methods applied on well-calibrated, global and regional, Earth System simulations, to deliver more reliable climate information. As examplified by the Paris agreement on desirable global warming targets, it is argued that the display of unrealistic ambitions may not be the best way for climate modellers to accomplish their long-term objectives, especially given the growing consensus on climate emergency and the allocated short time for the knowledge to be delivered and applied. 2025-01-30 2025-02-20T04:26:03Z 2025-02-20T04:26:03Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173239 en Open Access Douville, H. 2025. Doing better rather than promising more: a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies. PLOS Climate, 4(1):e0000466. [doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000466]
spellingShingle Douville, H.
Doing better rather than promising more: a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies
title Doing better rather than promising more: a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies
title_full Doing better rather than promising more: a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies
title_fullStr Doing better rather than promising more: a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies
title_full_unstemmed Doing better rather than promising more: a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies
title_short Doing better rather than promising more: a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies
title_sort doing better rather than promising more a basic principle applicable to both climate modelling and climate policies
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173239
work_keys_str_mv AT douvilleh doingbetterratherthanpromisingmoreabasicprincipleapplicabletobothclimatemodellingandclimatepolicies