Aggregate Models of Climate Change

Integrated assessment of climate change generally requires the evaluation of many transient scenario simulations of century-timescale changes in atmospheric compo- sition and climate, desirably with the accuracy of state-of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models (GCMs). Such multi- scenario GCM computations are possible through appropriate representation of the models in aggregate forms. For this purpose, we developed Nonlinear Impulse- response projections of 3D models of the global (oceanic and terrestrial) Carbon cycle and the atmosphere-ocean Climate System (NICCS). For higher CO2 forcing, appli- cability is extended beyond the linear response domain through explicit treatment of dominant nonlinear effects. The climate change module was furthermore augmented with spatial patterns of change in some of the most impact-relevant fields. Applied to three long-term CO2 emission scenarios, the model demonstrates (a) the minor rela- tive role of the terrestrial carbon sink through CO2 fertilization, and (b) the necessity to reduce fossil carbon emissions to a very small fraction of today's rates within the next few decades if a major climate change is to be avoided.