A new open-access tool designed to assess the accuracy of climate models has been launched by an international team of researchers, significantly reducing the time required for evaluation.
The Rapid Evaluation Framework (REF) was developed by scientists involved in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), a global initiative that supports the development and comparison of climate models used in major assessments, including those by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Climate models simulate interactions between the atmosphere, oceans and land surface to help scientists understand past climate trends and project future changes. Evaluating how well these models reflect real-world conditions has traditionally been a time-consuming process, often taking months.
The REF automates much of this work by comparing model outputs with observational data across a wide range of variables. The results are generated more quickly and made available through an online platform.
“This tool brings together climate scientists and Earth observation researchers to quickly check how accurately climate simulations reflect reality,” said Dr Ranjini Swaminathan, co-lead of the Model Benchmarking Task Team and scientist at the UK’s National Centre for Earth Observation, University of Reading.
“The better we can do that, the more reliable our picture of future climate change becomes, and the better equipped policymakers and communities are to respond to it.”
The framework is free to use and can be accessed online or downloaded for local use at climate modeling centers. Outputs are presented via an online dashboard and can also be accessed in standard scientific data formats.
The REF is initially being applied to data from CMIP7, the latest phase of the international modelling effort. These datasets will contribute to the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report, which is expected to inform future global climate policy.
Development of the tool was supported by funding from organizations including the European Space Agency, along with contributions from institutions such as the UK’s National Centre for Earth Observation and the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
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