Developing scenarios of atmosphere, weather and climate for northern regions

Future changes in atmospheric composition and consequent global and regional climate change are of increasing concern to policy makers, planners and the public. However, predictions of these changes are uncertain. In the absence of single, firm predictions, the next best approach is to identify sets...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Timothy R. Carter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Scientific Agricultural Society of Finland 1996-05-01
Series:Agricultural and Food Science
Online Access:https://journal.fi/afs/article/view/72743
_version_ 1811309721092620288
author Timothy R. Carter
author_facet Timothy R. Carter
author_sort Timothy R. Carter
collection DOAJ
description Future changes in atmospheric composition and consequent global and regional climate change are of increasing concern to policy makers, planners and the public. However, predictions of these changes are uncertain. In the absence of single, firm predictions, the next best approach is to identify sets of plausible future conditions termed scenarios. This paper focuses on the development of climate change scenarios for northern high latitude regions. Three methods of scenario development can be identified; use of analogues having conditions similar to those expected in the study region, application of general circulation model results, and composite methods that combine information from different sources. A composite approach has been used to produce scenarios of temperature, precipitation, carbon dioxide and sea-level change for Finland up to 2100, as part of the Finnish Research Programme on Climate Change (SILMU). Tools for applying these scenarios in impact assessment studies, including stochastic weather generators and spatial downscaling techniques, are also examined. The SILMU scenarios attempt to capture uncertainties both in future emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols into the atmosphere and in the global climate response to these emissions. Two types of scenario were developed: (i) simple “policy-oriented” scenarios and (ii) detailed “scientific” scenarios. These are compared with new model estimates of future climate and recent observed changes in climate over certain high latitude regions.
first_indexed 2024-04-13T09:46:23Z
format Article
id doaj.art-22ee7826a7984559a153e62145c41818
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1459-6067
1795-1895
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-13T09:46:23Z
publishDate 1996-05-01
publisher Scientific Agricultural Society of Finland
record_format Article
series Agricultural and Food Science
spelling doaj.art-22ee7826a7984559a153e62145c418182022-12-22T02:51:44ZengScientific Agricultural Society of FinlandAgricultural and Food Science1459-60671795-18951996-05-0153Developing scenarios of atmosphere, weather and climate for northern regionsTimothy R. Carter0Agricultural Research Centre of FinlandFuture changes in atmospheric composition and consequent global and regional climate change are of increasing concern to policy makers, planners and the public. However, predictions of these changes are uncertain. In the absence of single, firm predictions, the next best approach is to identify sets of plausible future conditions termed scenarios. This paper focuses on the development of climate change scenarios for northern high latitude regions. Three methods of scenario development can be identified; use of analogues having conditions similar to those expected in the study region, application of general circulation model results, and composite methods that combine information from different sources. A composite approach has been used to produce scenarios of temperature, precipitation, carbon dioxide and sea-level change for Finland up to 2100, as part of the Finnish Research Programme on Climate Change (SILMU). Tools for applying these scenarios in impact assessment studies, including stochastic weather generators and spatial downscaling techniques, are also examined. The SILMU scenarios attempt to capture uncertainties both in future emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols into the atmosphere and in the global climate response to these emissions. Two types of scenario were developed: (i) simple “policy-oriented” scenarios and (ii) detailed “scientific” scenarios. These are compared with new model estimates of future climate and recent observed changes in climate over certain high latitude regions.https://journal.fi/afs/article/view/72743
spellingShingle Timothy R. Carter
Developing scenarios of atmosphere, weather and climate for northern regions
Agricultural and Food Science
title Developing scenarios of atmosphere, weather and climate for northern regions
title_full Developing scenarios of atmosphere, weather and climate for northern regions
title_fullStr Developing scenarios of atmosphere, weather and climate for northern regions
title_full_unstemmed Developing scenarios of atmosphere, weather and climate for northern regions
title_short Developing scenarios of atmosphere, weather and climate for northern regions
title_sort developing scenarios of atmosphere weather and climate for northern regions
url https://journal.fi/afs/article/view/72743
work_keys_str_mv AT timothyrcarter developingscenariosofatmosphereweatherandclimatefornorthernregions