Publication Date:
2013-02-27
Description:
This paper presents guidelines and examples of good practice for the usage of climatemodel simulation results and some rationale for their application. These guidelines arerelevant to climate modellers as well as to climate impact modellers and users of directclimate model output, e.g., for decision support. The topics covered here encompass generalinformation on climate model data as well as recommendations for their use, interpretation,and presentation. This includes subjects such as definition of 'climate projection' versus'climate forecast', recommendations for the application of scenarios, temporal and spatialresolution, reference periods, treatment of model biases and significance, treatment ofdifferent model generations, and optimal use of colour selection and scaling. Specialattention is given to results from multiple simulations (ensembles), as evidence is mountingthat there is a need to take ensemble results into account for decision making.The paper represents the view of an ongoing discussion of German federal and stateenvironmental agencies in a semi-annual meeting series and aims at framing a set ofminimum requirements and prerequisites for climate impact projects and decision support.Thus, the recommendations we give are under constant further development and we don'tclaim completeness. However, since we frequently are asked to share out our discussionresults to other user groups we herewith provide some well discussed topics and hope toimprove on the communication between the climate modellers and the users of climatemodel results.
Electronic ISSN:
2193-2697
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
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