Tomiki Miyakawa

The University of Tokyo

Over four decades, CMIP has driven massive improvements in the modelled representation of the Earth system, whilst also seeing huge growth in its scope and complexity. In its most recent phase, CMIP6, a broad spectrum of questions continued to be answered across twenty-four individual model intercomparison projects (MIPs). This science improves process understanding and assesses the climate’s response to forcing, systematic biases, variability, and predictability in line with World Climate Research Programme’s (WCRP) Scientific Objectives. CMIP and its associated data infrastructure have become essential to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other international and national climate assessments, increasingly including the downstream mitigation, impacts, and adaptation communities.

However, despite the invaluable science produced from CMIP6 data, many challenges were still faced by the model data providers, the data delivery infrastructure, and users, which need to be addressed moving forwards. A specific challenge in CMIP6 was the burden placed on the modelling centres, in part due to the large number of requested experiments and delays in the preparation of the CMIP6 forcing datasets and climate data request.

This Townhall will present the CMIP AR7 Fast Track – a novel component of the latest evolution of the CMIP experimental design. The fast track is a subset of MIP experiments which have been identified as vital for national and international climate assessments and for informing policy and decision making. The CMIP governing panels have defined this subset of experiments to reduce the burden placed on modelling centres and maximise computational efficiencies, while continuing to deliver impactful climate model data. Alongside a presentation of the process and selection of the Fast Track experiments, the Townhall will feature updates on the next phase of scenarios, forcing datasets, model evaluation and benchmarking plans, and an update from the Fresh Eyes on CMIP group. There will be opportunities throughout the event for community discussion on the new plans.