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.     

基于CMIP5耦合气候模式的1.5℃和2℃升温阈值出现时间研究

利用CMIP5耦合气候模式的模拟结果,分析了不同排放情景下1.5℃和2℃升温阈值出现的时间。多模式集合平均结果表明：RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5排放情景下,全球地表温度将分别在2029年、2028年和2025年达到1.5℃升温阈值;RCP2.6情景下直至21世纪末期都未达到2℃升温阈值,RCP4.5和RCP8.5排放情景下达到2℃升温阈值的时间分别为2048年和2040年。伴随着排放情景的升高,完成从1.5℃升温阈值到2℃升温阈值所需要的时间缩短。区域尺度上,达到同一升温阈值的时间主要表现为陆地比海洋早,且陆地对排放情景差异的敏感性相对较差,而海洋达到升温阈值的时间则随着排放情景的升高而明显提前。中国达到相应升温阈值的时间要早于全球,且以东北和西北地区出现的时间最早。     

“一带一路”区域未来气候变化预估

利用耦合模式比较计划第5阶段(CMIP5)提供的18个全球气候模式的模拟结果,预估了3种典型浓度路径(RCP2.6、RCP4.5、RCP8.5)下“一带一路”地区平均气候和极端气候的未来变化趋势。结果表明:在温室气体持续排放情景下,“一带一路”地区年平均气温在未来将会持续上升,升温幅度随温室气体浓度的增加而加大。在高温室气体排放情景(RCP8.5)下,到21世纪末期,平均气温将普遍升高5℃以上,其中北亚地区升幅最大,南亚和东南亚地区升幅最小。对于降水的变化,预估该区域大部分地区的年降水量将增加,其中西亚和北亚增加最为明显,而且在21世纪中期,RCP2.6情景下的增幅要比RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下的偏大,而在21世纪后期,RCP8.5情景下降水的增幅比RCP2.6和RCP4.5情景下的偏大。未来极端温度也将呈升高的趋势,增温幅度高纬度地区大于低纬度地区、高排放情景大于低排放情景。而且在高纬度区域,极端低温的增暖幅度要大于极端高温的增幅。连续干旱日数在北亚和东亚总体呈现减少趋势,而在其他地区则呈增加趋势。极端强降水在“一带一路”区域总体上将增强,增强最明显的地区位于南亚、东南亚和东亚。     

Projected hydroclimate changes over Andean basins in central Chile from downscaled CMIP5 models under the low and high emission scenarios

This study examines the projections of hydroclimatic regimes and extremes over Andean basins in central Chile (～ 30–40° S) under a low and high emission scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, respectively). A gridded daily precipitation and temperature dataset based on observations is used to drive and validate the VIC macro-scale hydrological model in the region of interest. Historical and future simulations from 19 climate models participating in CMIP5 have been adjusted with the observational dataset and then used to make hydrological projections. By the end of the century, there is a large difference between the scenarios, with projected warming of ～ + 1.2 °C (RCP2.6), ～ +?3.5 °C (RCP8.5) and drying of ～ ? 3% (RCP2.6), ～ ? 30% (RCP8.5). Following the strong drying and warming projected in this region under the RCP8.5 scenario, the VIC model simulates decreases in annual runoff of about 40% by the end of the century. Such strong regional effect of climate change may have large implications for the water resources of this region. Even under the low emission scenario, the Andes snowpack is projected to decrease by 35–45% by mid-century. In more snowmelt-dominated areas, the projected hydrological changes under RCP8.5 go together with more loss in the snowpack (75–85%) and a temporal shift in the center timing of runoff to earlier dates (up to 5 weeks by the end of the century). The severity and frequency of extreme hydroclimatic events are also projected to increase in the future. The occurrence of extended droughts, such as the recently experienced mega-drought (2010–2015), increases from one to up to five events per 100 years under RCP8.5. Concurrently, probability density function of 3-day peak runoff indicates an increase in the frequency of flood events. The estimated return periods of 3-day peak runoff events depict more drastic changes and increase in the flood risk as higher recurrence intervals are considered by mid-century under RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, and by the end of the century under RCP8.5.     

Multi-model assessment of global hydropower and cooling water discharge potential under climate change

Worldwide, 98% of total electricity is currently produced by thermoelectric power and hydropower. Climate change is expected to directly impact electricity supply, in terms of both water availability for hydropower generation and cooling water usage for thermoelectric power. Improved understanding of how climate change may impact the availability and temperature of water resources is therefore of major importance. Here we use a multi-model ensemble to show the potential impacts of climate change on global hydropower and cooling water discharge potential. For the first time, combined projections of streamflow and water temperature were produced with three global hydrological models (GHMs) to account for uncertainties in the structure and parametrization of these GHMs in both water availability and water temperature. The GHMs were forced with bias-corrected output of five general circulation models (GCMs) for both the lowest and highest representative concentration pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5). The ensemble projections of streamflow and water temperature were then used to quantify impacts on gross hydropower potential and cooling water discharge capacity of rivers worldwide. We show that global gross hydropower potential is expected to increase between +2.4% (GCM-GHM ensemble mean for RCP 2.6) and +6.3% (RCP 8.5) for the 2080s compared to 1971–2000. The strongest increases in hydropower potential are expected for Central Africa, India, central Asia and the northern high-latitudes, with 18–33% of the world population living in these areas by the 2080s. Global mean cooling water discharge capacity is projected to decrease by 4.5-15% (2080s). The largest reductions are found for the United States, Europe, eastern Asia, and southern parts of South America, Africa and Australia, where strong water temperature increases are projected combined with reductions in mean annual streamflow. These regions are expected to affect 11–14% (for RCP2.6 and the shared socio-economic pathway (SSP)1, SSP2, SSP4) and 41–51% (RCP8.5–SSP3, SSP5) of the world population by the 2080s.     

CMIP5模式对未来升温情景下全球陆地生态系统净初级生产力变化的预估

针对《巴黎协定》提出的温控目标,利用耦合模式比较计划第五阶段（CMIP5）模式在RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下的模拟结果,初步分析了全球升温情景下陆地生态系统净初级生产力（NPP）相对于参考时段（1986—2005年）的变化,重点分析了1.5℃和2℃升温时NPP相对于参考时段的变化量,并探讨了大气CO₂浓度、气温、降水和辐射的变化及其对NPP变化的影响。CMIP5基于各典型浓度路径模拟的全球陆地生态系统NPP均呈增加趋势,且NPP增加量与升温幅度成正比。在相同的升温幅度下,基于各典型浓度路径模拟的各环境因子和NPP的变化量较为一致。陆地生态系统NPP总量增加主要由大气CO₂浓度上升驱动,其他环境因子的影响相对较弱。中国东南部、非洲中部、美国东南部和亚马孙雨林西部地区NPP增加最明显。NPP变化量的空间格局主要由大气CO₂浓度增加和升温控制,降水和辐射的影响相对较小。具体而言,大气CO₂浓度上升对中低纬度的NPP变化贡献最大,对北方高纬度地区NPP变化贡献较小。温度上升有利于促进北方高纬度地区和青藏高原地区NPP,但对中低纬度地区的NPP有较强的抑制作用。鉴于既有典型浓度路径和地球系统模型的限制,本文对未来升温情景下陆地生态系统NPP的预估仍存在较大的不确定性,需要在未来的研究中进一步改进。     

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.     

Arctic climate change in 21st century CMIP5 simulations with EC-Earth

The Arctic climate change is analyzed in an ensemble of future projection simulations performed with the global coupled climate model EC-Earth2.3. EC-Earth simulates the twentieth century Arctic climate relatively well but the Arctic is about 2 K too cold and the sea ice thickness and extent are overestimated. In the twenty-first century, the results show a continuation and strengthening of the Arctic trends observed over the recent decades, which leads to a dramatically changed Arctic climate, especially in the high emission scenario RCP8.5. The annually averaged Arctic mean near-surface temperature increases by 12 K in RCP8.5, with largest warming in the Barents Sea region. The warming is most pronounced in winter and autumn and in the lower atmosphere. The Arctic winter temperature inversion is reduced in all scenarios and disappears in RCP8.5. The Arctic becomes ice free in September in all RCP8.5 simulations after a rapid reduction event without recovery around year 2060. Taking into account the overestimation of ice in the twentieth century, our model results indicate a likely ice-free Arctic in September around 2040. Sea ice reductions are most pronounced in the Barents Sea in all RCPs, which lead to the most dramatic changes in this region. Here, surface heat fluxes are strongly enhanced and the cloudiness is substantially decreased. The meridional heat flux into the Arctic is reduced in the atmosphere but increases in the ocean. This oceanic increase is dominated by an enhanced heat flux into the Barents Sea, which strongly contributes to the large sea ice reduction and surface-air warming in this region. Increased precipitation and river runoff lead to more freshwater input into the Arctic Ocean. However, most of the additional freshwater is stored in the Arctic Ocean while the total Arctic freshwater export only slightly increases.     

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。     

Projections of high resolution climate changes for South Korea using multiple-regional climate models based on four RCP scenarios. Part 1: surface air temperature

We projected surface air temperature changes over South Korea during the mid (2026-2050) and late (2076-2100) 21st century against the current climate (1981-2005) using the simulation results from five regional climate models (RCMs) driven by Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model, version 2, coupled with the Atmosphere- Ocean (HadGEM2-AO), and two ensemble methods (equal weighted averaging, weighted averaging based on Taylor’s skill score) under four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenarios. In general, the five RCM ensembles captured the spatial and seasonal variations, and probability distribution of temperature over South Korea reasonably compared to observation. They particularly showed a good performance in simulating annual temperature range compared to HadGEM2-AO. In future simulation, the temperature over South Korea will increase significantly for all scenarios and seasons. Stronger warming trends are projected in the late 21st century than in the mid-21st century, in particular under RCP8.5. The five RCM ensembles projected that temperature changes for the mid/late 21st century relative to the current climate are +1.54°C/+1.92°C for RCP2.6, +1.68°C/+2.91°C for RCP4.5, +1.17°C/+3.11°C for RCP6.0, and +1.75°C/+4.73°C for RCP8.5. Compared to the temperature projection of HadGEM2-AO, the five RCM ensembles projected smaller increases in temperature for all RCP scenarios and seasons. The inter-RCM spread is proportional to the simulation period (i.e., larger in the late-21st than mid-21st century) and significantly greater (about four times) in winter than summer for all RCP scenarios. Therefore, the modeled predictions of temperature increases during the late 21st century, particularly for winter temperatures, should be used with caution.     

全球变暖1.5℃和2℃阈值时青藏高原气温的变化特征

利用国际耦合模式比较计划第5阶段（CMIP5）中的21个气候模式的RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景预估结果,分析了全球变暖1.5℃和2℃阈值时青藏高原气温年和季节的变化特征。结果表明,对应1.5℃和2℃全球变暖,青藏高原变暖幅度明显更大,就整体而言,在RCP4.5/RCP8.5情景下,高原区域平均的平均、最高、最低气温变暖分别为2.11℃/2.10℃和2.96℃/2.85℃、2.02℃/2.02℃和2.89℃/2.77℃、2.34℃/2.34℃和3.20℃/3.14℃,冬季平均气温的变暖幅度（2.19℃/2.31℃和3.13℃/3.05℃）较其他季节更大;从空间分布形势上看,年变暖呈西南高东北低的分布,而春、冬变暖呈南高北低的分布,夏、秋变暖则呈西高东低的分布。到达同一温升阈值时,RCP4.5与RCP8.5情景下高原气温的响应也存在区域差异。高原年与各季平均气温对全球变暖1.5℃与2℃的响应差异均>0.5℃,其中冬季最明显,区域平均差异可达0.94℃,局地差异超过1.1℃。     

Impact of climate changes over the extratropical land on permafrost dynamics under RCP scenarios in the 21st century as simulated by the IAP RAS climate model

Estimates of possible climate changes and cryolithozone dynamics in the 21st century over the Northern Hemisphere land are obtained using the IAP RAS global climate model under the RCP scenarios. Annual mean warming over the northern extratropical land during the 21st century amounts to 1.2–5.3°C depending on the scenario. The area of the snow cover in February amounting currently to 46 million km² decreases to 33–42 million km² in the late 21st century. According to model estimates, the near-surface permafrost in the late 21st century persists in northern regions of West Siberia, in Transbaikalia, and Tibet even under the most aggressive RCP 8.5 scenario; under more moderate scenarios (RCP 6.0, RCP 4.5, and RCP 2.6), it remains in East Siberia and in some high-latitude regions of North America. The total near-surface permafrost area in the Northern Hemisphere in the current century decreases by 5.3–12.8 million km² depending on the scenario. The soil subsidence due to permafrost thawing in Central Siberia, Cisbaikalia, and North America can reach 0.5–0.8 m by the late 21st century.     

Future changes and uncertainties in temperature and precipitation over China based on CMIP5 models

Climate changes in future 21 st century China and their uncertainties are evaluated based on 22 climate models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5(CMIP5). By 2081–2100, the annual mean surface air temperature(SAT) is predicted to increase by 1.3℃± 0.7℃, 2.6℃± 0.8℃ and 5.2℃± 1.2℃ under the Representative Concentration Pathway(RCP) scenarios RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, relative to 1986–2005, respectively. The future change in SAT averaged over China increases the most in autumn/winter and the least in spring, while the uncertainty shows little seasonal variation.Spatially, the annual and seasonal mean SAT both show a homogeneous warming pattern across China, with a warming rate increasing from southeastern China to the Tibetan Plateau and northern China, invariant with time and emissions scenario.The associated uncertainty in SAT decreases from northern to southern China. Meanwhile, by 2081–2100, the annual mean precipitation increases by 5% ± 5%, 8% ± 6% and 12% ± 8% under RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, respectively. The national average precipitation anomaly percentage, largest in spring and smallest in winter, and its uncertainty, largest in winter and smallest in autumn, show visible seasonal variations. Although at a low confidence level, a homogeneous wetting pattern is projected across China on the annual mean scale, with a larger increasing percentage in northern China and a weak drying in southern China in the early 21 st century. The associated uncertainty is also generally larger in northern China and smaller in southwestern China. In addition, both SAT and precipitation usually show larger seasonal variability on the sub-regional scale compared with the national average.     

全球升温1.5℃时北半球多年冻土及雪水当量的响应及其变化

本文基于耦合模式比较计划第5阶段（CMIP5）的17个全球气候模式,确定了1.5℃温升（相对于1861-1880年）的发生时间,预估了全球升温1.5℃时,北半球冻土和积雪的变化,并对预估结果的不确定性进行了讨论。结果表明,全球平均地表温度在3种排放情景下（RCP2.6,RCP4.5,RCP8.5）分别于2027、2026、2023年达到1.5℃阈值。当全球升温1.5℃,北半球多年冻土南界北移1°～3.5°,冻土退化主要发生在中西伯利亚南部。多年冻土面积在全球升温1.5℃时,在RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5排放情景下较1986-2005年分别减少约3.43×10⁶ km²（21.12%)、3.91×10⁶ km²（24.10%）和4.15×10⁶ km²（25.55%);北半球超过一半以上的区域雪水当量减少,只在中西伯利亚地区略微增加;北美洲中部、欧洲西部以及俄罗斯西北部减少较显著,减少约40%以上。青藏高原多年冻土面积在RCP2.6、RCP4.5以及RCP8.5排放情景下分别减少0.15×10⁶ km²（7.28%)、0.18×10⁶ km²（8.74%）和0.17×10⁶ km²（8.25%)。青藏高原冬、春季雪水当量分别减少约14.9%和13.8%。     

全球变暖减缓期陆地地表气温变化特征和CMIP5多模式的未来情景预估

2000年后全球气温的增温率显著下降,全球进入变暖减缓期.本文基于CRU(Climatic Research Unit) 观测资料,分析讨论了2000年后全球及欧亚中高纬度地区全球变暖的减缓特征,评估了CMIP5(Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5)试验多模式对全球变暖减缓的模拟及未来气温变化预估.结果表明,2000年后全球陆地平均地面气温的增温率大幅下降至0.14℃ (10 a)-1,仅为1976~1999年加速期增温率的一半.全球陆地13个区域中有9个地区的增温率小于2000年前,4个地区甚至出现了降温.其中以欧亚中高纬地区最为特殊.加速期(1976~1999年)增温率达到0.50℃ (10 a)-1,为全球陆地最大,2000年后陡降至-0.17℃ (10 a)-1,为全球最强降温区,为全球变暖的减缓贡献了49.13%.并且具有显著的季节依赖,减缓期冬季增温率下降了-2.68℃ (10 a)-1,而秋季升高了0.86℃ (10 a)-1,呈现反位相变化特征.CMIP5多模式计划中仅BCC-CSM1.1在RCP2.6情景下和MRI-ESM1模式在RCP8.5下的模拟较好地预估了全球及欧亚中高纬地区在2000年后增温率的下降以及欧亚中高纬秋、冬温度的反位相变化特征.BCC-CSM1.1在RCP2.6情景下预估欧亚中高纬地区2012年后温度距平保持在1.2℃左右,2020年后跃至2℃附近振荡.而MRI-ESM1在RCP8.5情景下预估的欧亚中高纬度温度在2030年前一直维持几乎为零的增温率,之后迅速升高.     

Assessment of future climate change over East Asia due to the RCP scenarios downscaled by GRIMs-RMP

This study assesses future climate change over East Asia using the Global/Regional Integrated Model system—Regional Model Program (RMP). The RMP is forced by two types of future climate scenarios produced by the Hadley Center Global Environmental Model version 2 (HG2); the representative concentration pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios for the intergovernmental panel on climate change fifth assessment report (AR5). Analyses for the current (1980–2005) climate are performed to evaluate the RMP’s ability to reproduce precipitation and temperature. Two different future (2006–2050) simulations are compared with the current climatology to investigate the climatic change over East Asia centered in Korea. The RMP satisfactorily reproduces the observed seasonal mean and variation of precipitation and temperature. The spatial distribution of the simulated large-scale features and precipitation by the RMP is generally less reflective of current climatic conditions than that is given by the HG2, but their inter-annual variations in East Asia are better captured by the RMP. Furthermore, the RMP shows higher reproducibility of climate extremes including excessive heat wave and precipitation events over South Korea. In the future, strong warming is distinctly coupled with intensified monsoonal precipitation over East Asia. In particular, extreme weather conditions are increased and intensified over South Korea as follows: (1) The frequency of heat wave events with temperature greater than 30 °C is projected to increase by 131 and 111 % in the RCP 8.5 and 4.5 downscaling, relative to the current climate. (2) The RCP 8.5 downscaling shows the frequency and variability of heavy rainfall to increase by 24 and 31.5 %, respectively, while the statistics given by the RCP 4.5 downscaling are similar to those of the current climate.     

未来气候变化情景下长江上游年径流量变化趋势研究

依据政府间气候变化委员会(IPCC)第五次评估报告(AR5)未来不同排放情景(RCPs)下的多模式(CMIP5)气温和降水预估结果,构建基于气温和降水的未来径流量预估模型,并以宜昌站为例分析了不同模式不同排放情景下未来80年(2020～2099年)长江上游年径流量的变化趋势。多模式集合平均预估结果表明:在99%的置信水平下,未来80年长江上游年径流量在RCP2.6排放情景下呈不显著增加趋势,在RCP4.5排放情景下呈不显著减小趋势,而在RCP8.5排放情景下则呈显著减小趋势;在RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5排放情景下未来80年长江上游年径流量预估均值相对于1961～2000年分别减少6.42%、10.99%和13.25%;同时,未来80年长江上游年径流量变化具有一定的年代际特征,在RCP2.6和RCP4.5排放情景下21世纪初期偏多、中期偏少而后期变化并不明显,在RCP8.5排放情景下则是21世纪中期以前偏多而中期以后明显偏少。本研究方法可为未来气候变化情景预估分析提供技术参考,本研究成果可供气候变化背景下长江上游乃至长江流域水资源开发利用及对策分析提供决策依据。      

1.5和2℃升温阈值下中国温度和降水变化的预估

基于CMIP5耦合气候模式模拟结果对1.5和2℃升温阈值时中国温度和降水变化的分析表明,1.5℃升温阈值时,中国年平均升温由南向北加强且在青藏高原地区有所放大,季节尺度上升温的空间分布与其类似,就区域平均而言,RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下中国年平均气温分别升高1.83、1.75和1.88℃,气温的季节变幅以冬季升高最为显著;除华南和西南地区外中国大部分地区年平均降水量增多,降水的季节差异明显,以夏季降水的分布模态与年平均降水量的分布最为相似,区域平均的年降水量分别增加5.03%、2.82%和3.27%,季节尺度上以冬季降水增幅最大。2℃升温阈值时,RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下中国年平均温度的空间分布与1.5℃升温阈值基本一致,中国年平均气温分别升高2.49和2.54℃,季节尺度上气温的变化以秋、冬季增幅最大;中国范围内年平均降水量基本表现为增多趋势,其中,西北和长江中下游部分地区表现为明显的季节差异,区域平均的年降水量分别增加6.26%和5.86%。与1.5℃升温阈值相比较,2℃升温阈值时中国年平均温度在RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下分别升高0.74和0.76℃,降水则分别增加3.44%和2.59%,空间上温度升高以东北、西北和青藏高原最为显著,降水则在东北、华北、青藏高原和华南地区增加最为明显。      

Asymmetry of surface climate change under RCP2.6 projections from the CMIP5 models

The multi-model ensemble (MME) of 20 models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase Five (CMIP5) was used to analyze surface climate change in the 21st century under the representative concentration pathway RCP2.6, to reflect emission mitigation efforts. The maximum increase of surface air temperature (SAT) is 1.86°C relative to the pre-industrial level, achieving the target to limit the global warming to 2°C. Associated with the “increase-peak-decline” greenhouse gases (GHGs) concentration pathway of RCP2.6, the global mean SAT of MME shows opposite trends during two time periods: warming during 2006–55 and cooling during 2056–2100. Our results indicate that spatial distribution of the linear trend of SAT during the warming period exhibited asymmetrical features compared to that during the cooling period. The warming during 2006–55 is distributed globally, while the cooling during 2056–2100 mainly occurred in the NH, the South Indian Ocean, and the tropical South Atlantic Ocean. Different dominant roles of heat flux in the two time periods partly explain the asymmetry. During the warming period, the latent heat flux and shortwave radiation both play major roles in heating the surface air. During the cooling period, the increase of net longwave radiation partly explains the cooling in the tropics and subtropics, which is associated with the decrease of total cloud amount. The decrease of the shortwave radiation accounts for the prominent cooling in the high latitudes of the NH. The surface sensible heat flux, latent heat flux, and shortwave radiation collectively contribute to the especial warming phenomenon in the high-latitude of the SH during the cooling period.     

Climate change hotspots in the CMIP5 global climate model ensemble

We use a statistical metric of multi-dimensional climate change to quantify the emergence of global climate change hotspots in the CMIP5 climate model ensemble. Our hotspot metric extends previous work through the inclusion of extreme seasonal temperature and precipitation, which exert critical influence on climate change impacts. The results identify areas of the Amazon, the Sahel and tropical West Africa, Indonesia, and the Tibetan Plateau as persistent regional climate change hotspots throughout the 21st century of the RCP8.5 and RCP4.5 forcing pathways. In addition, areas of southern Africa, the Mediterranean, the Arctic, and Central America/western North America also emerge as prominent regional climate change hotspots in response to intermediate and high levels of forcing. Comparisons of different periods of the two forcing pathways suggest that the pattern of aggregate change is fairly robust to the level of global warming below approximately 2 °C of global warming (relative to the late-20th-century baseline), but not at the higher levels of global warming that occur in the late-21st-century period of the RCP8.5 pathway, with areas of southern Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Arctic exhibiting particular intensification of relative aggregate climate change in response to high levels of forcing. Although specific impacts will clearly be shaped by the interaction of climate change with human and biological vulnerabilities, our identification of climate change hotspots can help to inform mitigation and adaptation decisions by quantifying the rate, magnitude and causes of the aggregate climate response in different parts of the world.