气候变化条件下雅砻江流域未来径流变化趋势研究

雅砻江为我国重要的水电基地,未来气候变化条件下流域径流变化将直接影响雅砻江梯级水库群运行安全和发电调度,因此研究气候变化对雅砻江流域径流的影响十分必要。首先建立了流域月尺度的SWAT模型,然后使用统计降尺度模型（SDSM）模拟未来2006—2100年流域内各站点的气象数据,最后使用流域SWAT模型对未来2006—2100年月径流进行模拟。结果表明,未来雅砻江流域径流呈上升趋势,且增幅随着辐射强迫的增加同步增大,RCP2.6、RCP4.5、RCP8.5这3种典型浓度路径下年平均径流增幅分别为8.9%、12.5%、16.7%,且2020S（2006—2035年)、2050S（2036—2065年)、2080S（2066—2100年）这3个时期年径流量呈现不同的变化趋势,其中RCP2.6浓度路径下为先逐步增加达到峰值后略有减少,RCP4.5浓度路径下为先逐步增加达到峰值后趋于稳定,RCP8.5浓度路径下为持续增加。流域径流年内分配方面,3种典型浓度路径下汛期径流占全年比例在2020S、2050S、2080S这3个时期均为先降后升趋势,整个预测期总体为降低趋势,RCP2.6、RCP4.5及RCP8.5这3种浓度路径下整个预测期的均值分别由基准期的75.9%降低为72.9%、72.0%、71.2%。径流增加会对流域洪水特性产生较大影响,为此应该修正流域设计洪水计算结果和调整防洪调度方案,以降低雅砻江流域梯级水库群因气候变化而产生的运行风险,并提高发电调度效率。     

Ensemble flood risk assessment in Europe under high end climate scenarios

At the current rate of global warming, the target of limiting it within 2 degrees by the end of the century seems more and more unrealistic. Policymakers, businesses and organizations leading international negotiations urge the scientific community to provide realistic and accurate assessments of the possible consequences of so called “high end” climate scenarios.This study illustrates a novel procedure to assess the future flood risk in Europe under high levels of warming. It combines ensemble projections of extreme streamflow for the current century based on EURO-CORDEX RCP 8.5 climate scenarios with recent advances in European flood hazard mapping. Further novelties include a threshold-based evaluation of extreme event magnitude and frequency, an alternative method to removing bias in climate projections, the latest pan-European exposure maps, and an improved flood vulnerability estimation.Estimates of population affected and direct flood damages indicate that by the end of the century the socio-economic impact of river floods in Europe is projected to increase by an average 220% due to climate change only. When coherent socio-economic development pathways are included in the assessment, central estimates of population annually affected by floods range between 500,000 and 640,000 in 2050, and between 540,000 and 950,000 in 2080, as compared to 216,000 in the current climate. A larger range is foreseen in the annual flood damage, currently of 5.3 B€, which is projected to rise at 20–40 B€ in 2050 and 30–100 B€ in 2080, depending on the future economic growth.     

Climate and socio-economic scenarios for climate change research and assessment: reconciling the new with the old

A suggestion for mapping the SRES illustrative scenarios onto the new scenarios framework of representative concentration pathways (RCPs) and shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) is presented. The mapping first compares storylines describing future socio-economic developments for SRES and SSPs. Next, it compares projected atmospheric composition, radiative forcing and climate characteristics for SRES and RCPs. Finally, it uses the new scenarios matrix architecture to match SRES scenarios to combinations of RCPs and SSPs, resulting in four suggestions of suitable combinations, mapping: (i) an A2 world onto RCP 8.5 and SSP3, (ii) a B2 (or A1B) world onto RCP 6.0 and SSP2, (iii) a B1 world onto RCP 4.5 and SSP1, and (iv) an A1FI world onto RCP 8.5 and SSP5. A few other variants are also explored. These mappings, though approximate, may assist analysts in reconciling earlier scenarios with the new scenario framework.     

The impacts of climate change on river flood risk at the global scale

This paper presents an assessment of the implications of climate change for global river flood risk. It is based on the estimation of flood frequency relationships at a grid resolution of 0.5?×?0.5°, using a global hydrological model with climate scenarios derived from 21 climate models, together with projections of future population. Four indicators of the flood hazard are calculated; change in the magnitude and return period of flood peaks, flood-prone population and cropland exposed to substantial change in flood frequency, and a generalised measure of regional flood risk based on combining frequency curves with generic flood damage functions. Under one climate model, emissions and socioeconomic scenario (HadCM3 and SRES A1b), in 2050 the current 100-year flood would occur at least twice as frequently across 40 % of the globe, approximately 450 million flood-prone people and 430 thousand km² of flood-prone cropland would be exposed to a doubling of flood frequency, and global flood risk would increase by approximately 187 % over the risk in 2050 in the absence of climate change. There is strong regional variability (most adverse impacts would be in Asia), and considerable variability between climate models. In 2050, the range in increased exposure across 21 climate models under SRES A1b is 31–450 million people and 59 to 430 thousand km² of cropland, and the change in risk varies between ?9 and +376 %. The paper presents impacts by region, and also presents relationships between change in global mean surface temperature and impacts on the global flood hazard. There are a number of caveats with the analysis; it is based on one global hydrological model only, the climate scenarios are constructed using pattern-scaling, and the precise impacts are sensitive to some of the assumptions in the definition and application.     

Assessing the impact of climate changes on the potential yields of maize and paddy rice in Northeast China by 2050

Northeast China is the main crop production region in China, and future climate change will directly impact crop potential yields, so exploring crop potential yields under future climate scenarios in Northeast China is extremely critical for ensuring future food security. Here, this study projected the climate changes using 12 general circulation models (GCMs) under two moderate Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 6.0) from 2015 to 2050. Then, based on the Global Agro-ecological Zones (GAEZ) model, we explored the effect of climate change on the potential yields of maize and paddy rice in Northeast China during 2015–2050. The annual relative humidity increased almost throughout the Northeast China under two RCPs. The annual precipitation increased more than 400 mm in some west, east, and south areas under RCP 4.5, but decreased slightly in some areas under RCP 6.0. The annual wind speed increased over 2 m/s in the west region. The annual net solar radiation changes varied significantly with latitude, but the changes of annual maximum temperature and minimum temperature were closely related to the terrain. Under RCP 4.5, the average maize potential yield increased by 34.31% under the influence of climate changes from 2015 to 2050. The average rice potential yield increased by 16.82% from 2015 to 2050. Under RCP 6.0, the average maize and rice potential yields increased by 25.65% and 6.34% respectively. The changes of maize potential yields were positively correlated with the changes of precipitation, wind speed, and net solar radiation (the correlation coefficients were > 0.2), and negatively correlated with the changes of relative humidity, minimum and maximum temperature under two RCPs. The changes of rice potential yields were positively correlated with the changes of precipitation (correlation coefficient = 0.15) under RCP 4.5. Under RCP 6.0, it had a slight positive correlation with net solar radiation, relative humidity, and wind speed.     

Assessing future vulnerability and risk of humanitarian crises using climate change and population projections within the INFORM framework

INFORM Risk Index is a global indicator-based disaster risk assessment tool that combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability and lack of coping capacity indicators with the purpose to support humanitarian crisis management decisions considering the current climate and population. In this exploratory study, we extend the Index to include future climate change and population projections using RCP 8.5 climate projections of coastal flood, river flood and drought, and SSP3 and SSP5 population projections for the period 2036 to 2065. For the three hazards considered, annually 1.3 billion people (150% increase), 1.8 billion people (249% increase) and 1.5 billion people (197% increase) in the mid-21st century are projected to be exposed under the 2015, SSP3 and SSP5 population estimates, respectively. Drought shows the highest exposure levels followed by river flood and then coastal flood, with some regional differences. The largest exposed population is projected in Asia, while the largest percent changes are projected in Africa and Oceania. Countries with largest current and projected risk including non-climatic factors are generally located in Africa, West and South Asia and Central America. An uncertainty analysis of the extended index shows that it is generally robust and not influenced by the methodological choices. The projected changes in risk and coping capacity (vulnerability) due to climate change are generally greater than those associated with population changes. Countries in Europe, Western and Northern Asia and Africa tend to show higher reduction levels in vulnerability (lack of coping capacity) required to nullify the adverse impacts of the projected amplified hazards and exposure. The required increase in coping capacity (decreased vulnerability) can inform decision-making processes on disaster risk reduction and adaptation options to maintain manageable risk levels at global and national scale. Overall, the extended INFORM Risk Index is a means to integrate Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation policy agendas to create conditions for greater policy impact, more efficient use of resources and more effective action in protecting life, livelihoods and valuable assets.     

The implications of climate policy for the impacts of climate change on global water resources

This paper assesses the implications of climate policy for exposure to water resources stresses. It compares a Reference scenario which leads to an increase in global mean temperature of 4 °C by the end of the 21st century with a Mitigation scenario which stabilises greenhouse gas concentrations at around 450 ppm CO₂e and leads to a 2 °C increase in 2100. Associated changes in river runoff are simulated using a global hydrological model, for four spatial patterns of change in temperature and rainfall. There is a considerable difference in hydrological change between these four patterns, but the percentages of change avoided at the global scale are relatively robust. By the 2050s, the Mitigation scenario typically avoids between 16 and 30% of the change in runoff under the Reference scenario, and by 2100 it avoids between 43 and 65%. Two different measures of exposure to water resources stress are calculated, based on resources per capita and the ratio of withdrawals to resources. Using the first measure, the Mitigation scenario avoids 8-17% of the impact in 2050 and 20-31% in 2100; with the second measure, the avoided impacts are 5-21% and 15-47% respectively. However, at the same time, the Mitigation scenario also reduces the positive impacts of climate change on water scarcity in other areas. The absolute numbers and locations of people affected by climate change and climate policy vary considerably between the four climate model patterns.     

气侯变化背景下黑河上游春季融雪洪水预估研究

气候变暖将导致高山区冰冻圈加剧融化,一方面融水资源时空分布的不确定性增大;另一方面,融水洪水灾害发生的频度和强度也将发生改变。基于气象、水文数据和MODIS积雪覆盖数据,利用融雪径流模型(SRM),对1990—2012年共23年祁连山黑河札马什克控制区融雪期径流进行模拟与验证。结果表明：SRM在该流域具有较高的模拟精度（纳什系数为0.91),可用于分析和预估控制区径流强度变化。为此,采用黑河流域气温、降水降尺度数据,预估了未来气候变化背景下积雪范围变化及不同重现期洪水变化趋势。结果显示,与基准期相比,在RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下,最大积雪范围可减小3%~7%,且随着海拔升高,变化愈剧烈。RCP2.6情景下因气温和降水变化幅度较小,到21世纪末各重现期洪水强度保持在10%以内波动;RCP4.5情景下,各重现期洪水强度最高增大约20%;在RCP8.5情景下,各重现期洪水强度最高可增大超30%。相关分析结果显示,不同重现期洪水径流与气温和降水均具有较强相关性：重现期越长,洪峰与气温的相关性越大;重现期越短,洪峰与降水的相关性越大。通过预估气候变化背景下的融雪性洪水事件强度及重现期变化,有助于有效开展区域洪水风险管理、提高洪水资源的利用价值。     

气侯变化对东部季风区赣江和官厅流域径流的影响

选取中国东部季风区南方赣江流域和北方官厅流域,基于逐日气象和水文观测数据率定和验证了HBV水文模型,并以国际耦合模式比较计划第五阶段（CMIP5）中输出要素最多的5个全球气候模式在3种典型浓度路径（RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5）下的预估结果驱动HBV模型,预估了气候变化对21世纪两个流域径流的影响。结果表明：(1) 1961—2017年,赣江和官厅流域年平均气温均呈显著上升趋势,升温速率分别为0.17℃/(10 a)和0.28℃/(10 a);同期,赣江流域降水显著增加,官厅流域降水微弱下降。不同RCP情景下,21世纪两个流域均将持续变暖、降水有所增加,北方官厅流域的气温和降水增幅均大于南方赣江流域。(2) 21世纪,官厅流域年、季径流增幅远大于赣江流域。官厅流域年径流在近期（2020—2039年）、中期（2050—2069年）、末期（2080—2099年）均呈增加趋势,RCP8.5情景下增幅最大、RCP4.5最小。赣江流域在RCP4.5下,近期、中期年径流相对基准期略有减少,但在整个21世纪径流呈上升趋势;RCP2.6和RCP8.5下,21世纪中期以后径流增幅下降。(3) 21世纪,东部季风区北部的官厅流域发生洪涝、南方赣江流域发生干旱的可能性增大,不同RCP情景预估得到相同的结论。     

Downscaling projections of climate change in Sao Tome and Principe Islands,Africa

Sao Tome and Principe is a small insular African country extremely vulnerable to rising sea levels and impacts such as inundation, shore line change, and salt water intrusion into underground aquifers. Projections of climate change have considered coarse model resolutions. The objective of this work is to dynamically downscale the global model projections to 4-km resolution and to assess the climate change in the Sao Tome and Principe islands. The global climate projections are provided by the Canadian Earth System Model under two Representative Concentration Pathways greenhouse gas scenarios, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The downscaling is produced by the Eta regional climate model. The baseline period is taken between 1971 and 2000, and the future climate period is taken between 2041 and 2070. The 2-m temperature simulations show good agreement with station data. The model simulates temperature more accurately than precipitation. The precipitation simulations systematically show underestimation and delay of the rainy and the dry seasons by about 1 month, a feature inherited from the global climate model. In the middle of the 21st century, projections show the strongest warming in the elevated parts of the Sao Tome Island, especially in February under RCP8.5. Warmer nights and warmer days become more frequent in the islands when compared with those in the present. While under RCP4.5, precipitation increases in the islands; under RCP8.5, it decreases everywhere in both islands. Heavy precipitation rates should increase, especially in the south-southwestern parts of the Sao Tome islands. Detailed spatial variability of the temperature and precipitation changes in the islands can only be revealed at very high spatial model resolution. Implications for the potential energy production from two major river basins are assessed in this work.     

利用区域气候模式预估未来登陆中国热带气旋活动

鉴于热带气旋（TC）对我国沿海地区的影响,研究全球变暖背景下未来登陆我国TC活动的变化,对于我国沿海地区的防灾减灾具有重要意义。基于CMIP5中全球气候模式HadGEM2-ES数据,文中利用区域气候模式RegCM4开展了历史时期和3种情景（RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5）下未来东亚区域气候的动力降尺度模拟,检验了模式对历史登陆我国TC活动及其相关大尺度环境场的模拟能力,并预估了3种情景下2030—2039年、2050—2059年和2089—2098年,登陆我国TC的路径、强度和频率的变化特征。结果表明：模式能合理地再现东亚区域历史时期（1986—2005年）大气环流场的空间结构以及登陆我国TC的特征;在3种情景下未来登陆我国TC的平均强度和数量均有不同程度的增加,尤其是台风及以上级别TC的总数明显增加,其中RCP8.5情景最突出,到21世纪末期（2089—2098年）登陆我国TC的平均强度、台风及以上级别TC总数的年平均值较历史时期将分别增加7.56%和1.05个;不同情景下未来登陆我国TC的路径均有不同程度的北移趋势,且全球升温的幅度越大,北移趋势越明显,这可能与未来中国近海显著变暖和垂直风切变减弱有关。未来我国沿海地区尤其是中高纬度很可能将面临日益严峻的TC灾害风险,亟需尽快开展防灾减灾及对策研究。     

气候变化背景下中国滑坡灾害人口风险评估

中国是世界上滑坡灾害造成人口伤亡较严重的国家.受气候变化影响,极端降水频率与强度的增加会提高滑坡灾害的人口风险.文中将不同RCPs情景多个模式的未来降水数据和SSPs情景下的未来人口数据相结合,构建滑坡灾害人口风险评估模型,评估气候变化背景下的中国滑坡灾害人口风险.研究发现,气候变化下中国滑坡灾害的危险性呈上升趋势,预...     

Glacial mass balance changes in the Karakoram and Himalaya based on CMIP5 multi-model climate projections

The impact of future climate change on the glaciers in the Karakoram and Himalaya (KH) is investigated using CMIP5 multi-model temperature and precipitation projections, and a relationship between glacial accumulation-area ratio and mass balance developed for the region based on the last 30 to 40 years of observational data. We estimate that the current glacial mass balance (year 2000) for the entire KH region is -6.6?±?1 Gta^?1, which decreases about sixfold to -35?±?2 Gta^?1 by the 2080s under the high emission scenario of RCP8.5. However, under the low emission scenario of RCP2.6 the glacial mass loss only doubles to -12?±?2 Gta^?1 by the 2080s. We also find that 10.6 and 27 % of the glaciers could face ‘eventual disappearance’ by the end of the century under RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 respectively, underscoring the threat to water resources under high emission scenarios.     

The future urban heat-wave challenge in Africa: Exploratory analysis

Urbanization and climate change are among the most important global trends affecting human well-being during the twenty-first century. One region expected to undergo enormous urbanization and be significantly affected by climate change is Africa. Studies already find increases in temperature and high temperature events for the region. How many people will be exposed to heat events in the future remains unclear. This paper attempts to provide a first estimate of the number of African urban residents exposed to very warm 15-day heat events (>42 °C). Using the Shared Socio-economic Pathways and Representative Concentration Pathways framework we estimate the numbers of exposed, sensitive (those younger than 5 and older than 64 years), and those in low-income nations, with gross national products of $4000 ($2005, purchasing power parity), from 2010 to 2100. We examine heat events both with and without urban heat island estimates. Our results suggest that at the low end of the range, under pathways defined as sustainable (SSP 1) and low relative levels of climate change (RCP 2.6) without including the urban heat island effect there will be large populations (>300 million) exposed to very warm heat wave by 2100. Alternatively, by 2100, the high end exposure level is approximately 2.0 billion for SSP 4 under RCP 4.5 where the urban heat island effect is included.     

Climate change in the 21st century simulated by HadGEM2-AO under representative concentration pathways

We present climate responses of Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) using the coupled climate model HadGEM2-AO for the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5). The RCPs are selected as standard scenarios for the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report and these scenarios include time paths for emissions and concentrations of greenhouse gas and aerosols and land-use/land cover. The global average warming and precipitation increases for the last 20 years of the 21st century relative to the period 1986-2005 are +1.1°C/+2.1% for RCP2.6, +2.4°C/+4.0% for RCP4.5, +2.5°C/+3.3% for RCP6.0 and +4.1°C/+4.6% for RCP8.5, respectively. The climate response on RCP 2.6 scenario meets the UN Copenhagen Accord to limit global warming within two degrees at the end of 21st century, the mitigation effect is about 3°C between RCP2.6 and RCP8.5. The projected precipitation changes over the 21st century are expected to increase in tropical regions and at high latitudes, and decrease in subtropical regions associated with projected poleward expansions of the Hadley cell. Total soil moisture change is projected to decrease in northern hemisphere high latitudes and increase in central Africa and Asia whereas near-surface soil moisture tends to decrease in most areas according to the warming and evaporation increase. The trend and magnitude of future climate extremes are also projected to increase in proportion to radiative forcing of RCPs. For RCP 8.5, at the end of the summer season the Arctic is projected to be free of sea ice.     

气候系统模式FGOALS-s2对南半球气候的模拟和预估

针对参加“国际耦合模式比较计划”(CMIP5)的IAP/LASG气候系统模式FGOALS-s2,评估了其对南半球气候平均态的模拟能力,在此基础上,预估了未来不同“典型浓度路径”(RCPs)情景下南半球气候的变化特征.对20世纪历史气候模拟结果的分析表明,模式能够合理再现南半球大气环流气候态分布特征,包括6～8月平均(JJA)南半球双西风急流现象,只是模拟的北支急流偏弱、南支急流偏强.未来气候预估试验中,不同RCPs情景下南半球温度变化以增暖为主要特征,陆地增温大于海洋,只有南大西洋—印度洋海盆存在局部变冷.综合四种不同情景,未来随着温室气体浓度的增加,南半球中纬度高压带将显著加强,绕极低压带将加深.降水呈现出增多的特征,12月到来年2月平均(DJF)强于JJA,海洋强于陆地,只有南印度洋和南太平洋中部局部降水减少.未来不同RCPs情景下,马斯克林高压表现出先减弱后增强的特征,而澳大利亚高压则呈现出先增强后减弱的特征.南极涛动(AAO)的变化表现为:RCP2.6和RCP4.5情景下AAO都表现为先增强后减弱,RCP6.0和RCP8.5情景下都为一致的增强趋势,这主要与四种情景中模拟的未来温度变化结构不同有关.例如在RCP6.0和RCP8.5情景下,南半球高纬高层温度增暖趋势小于中纬地区,使得经向温度梯度增大,中纬度西风加强,60°S以南位势高度减小,最终令AAO增强.     

The RCP greenhouse gas concentrations and their extensions from 1765 to 2300

We present the greenhouse gas concentrations for the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) and their extensions beyond 2100, the Extended Concentration Pathways (ECPs). These projections include all major anthropogenic greenhouse gases and are a result of a multi-year effort to produce new scenarios for climate change research. We combine a suite of atmospheric concentration observations and emissions estimates for greenhouse gases (GHGs) through the historical period (1750?C2005) with harmonized emissions projected by four different Integrated Assessment Models for 2005?C2100. As concentrations are somewhat dependent on the future climate itself (due to climate feedbacks in the carbon and other gas cycles), we emulate median response characteristics of models assessed in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report using the reduced-complexity carbon cycle climate model MAGICC6. Projected ??best-estimate?? global-mean surface temperature increases (using inter alia a climate sensitivity of 3°C) range from 1.5°C by 2100 for the lowest of the four RCPs, called both RCP3-PD and RCP2.6, to 4.5°C for the highest one, RCP8.5, relative to pre-industrial levels. Beyond 2100, we present the ECPs that are simple extensions of the RCPs, based on the assumption of either smoothly stabilizing concentrations or constant emissions: For example, the lower RCP2.6 pathway represents a strong mitigation scenario and is extended by assuming constant emissions after 2100 (including net negative CO₂ emissions), leading to CO₂ concentrations returning to 360 ppm by 2300. We also present the GHG concentrations for one supplementary extension, which illustrates the stringent emissions implications of attempting to go back to ECP4.5 concentration levels by 2250 after emissions during the 21^st century followed the higher RCP6 scenario. Corresponding radiative forcing values are presented for the RCP and ECPs.     

辽河流域气候变化及对径流影响预估与评估分析

辽河流域属于气候变暖较为显著区域,增温幅度比全球和全国的增温幅度都要高。同时辽河流域也是水资源较为匮乏且需求量大的地区,因此气候变化对水资源影响问题也更值得关注。基于长期历史观测气象水文数据和未来不同情景下气候变化预估资料,建立评估气候变化与径流量的关系,预估未来气候变化对径流量的可能影响,为辽河流域应对气候变化决策提供科学依据。结果表明:1961—2020年,辽河流域气温为持续上升趋势,降水没有明显的增减趋势,但存在阶段性变化;辽河流域降水量与径流量有较好的相关关系,具有较为一致的长期变化趋势与特征,年降水量与径流量相关数达到0.6以上。日降水量与径流量相关分析表明,降水发生后次日且为大雨降水等级(即日降水量≥25 mm)时,两者相关系数可高达0.85;敏感性试验和模式模拟试验表明,径流量对气候变化有明显的响应,降水增加(减少)、气温降低(升高),则径流量增加(减少);在未来RCP8.5排放情景下气温升高趋势最为明显,未来径流量也为显著增加趋势;RCP2.6排放情景下气温增加的幅度最小,未来径流量也表现为无明显增减趋势;RCP4.5情景下,气温增加的幅度居中,未来径流量则为减少趋势。     

Projections of the advance in the start of the growing season during the 21st century based on CMIP5 simulations

It is well-known that global warming due to anthropogenic atmospheric greenhouse effects advanced the start of the vegetation growing season(SOS) across the globe during the 20 th century. Projections of further changes in the SOS for the 21 st century under certain emissions scenarios(Representative Concentration Pathways, RCPs) are useful for improving understanding of the consequences of global warming. In this study, we first evaluate a linear relationship between the SOS(defined using the normalized difference vegetation index) and the April temperature for most land areas of the Northern Hemisphere for 1982–2008. Based on this relationship and the ensemble projection of April temperature under RCPs from the latest state-of-the-art global coupled climate models, we show the possible changes in the SOS for most of the land areas of the Northern Hemisphere during the 21 st century. By around 2040–59, the SOS will have advanced by-4.7 days under RCP2.6,-8.4 days under RCP4.5, and-10.1 days under RCP8.5, relative to 1985–2004. By 2080–99, it will have advanced by-4.3 days under RCP2.6,-11.3 days under RCP4.5, and-21.6 days under RCP8.5. The geographic pattern of SOS advance is considerably dependent on that of the temperature sensitivity of the SOS. The larger the temperature sensitivity,the larger the date-shift-rate of the SOS.     

A global assessment of the impact of climate change on water scarcity

This paper presents a global scale assessment of the impact of climate change on water scarcity. Patterns of climate change from 21 Global Climate Models (GCMs) under four SRES scenarios are applied to a global hydrological model to estimate water resources across 1339 watersheds. The Water Crowding Index (WCI) and the Water Stress Index (WSI) are used to calculate exposure to increases and decreases in global water scarcity due to climate change. 1.6 (WCI) and 2.4 (WSI) billion people are estimated to be currently living within watersheds exposed to water scarcity. Using the WCI, by 2050 under the A1B scenario, 0.5 to 3.1 billion people are exposed to an increase in water scarcity due to climate change (range across 21 GCMs). This represents a higher upper-estimate than previous assessments because scenarios are constructed from a wider range of GCMs. A substantial proportion of the uncertainty in the global-scale effect of climate change on water scarcity is due to uncertainty in the estimates for South Asia and East Asia. Sensitivity to the WCI and WSI thresholds that define water scarcity can be comparable to the sensitivity to climate change pattern. More of the world will see an increase in exposure to water scarcity than a decrease due to climate change but this is not consistent across all climate change patterns. Additionally, investigation of the effects of a set of prescribed global mean temperature change scenarios show rapid increases in water scarcity due to climate change across many regions of the globe, up to 2 °C, followed by stabilisation to 4 °C.