Climate Models & Scenario Analysis Flashcards
When did scenario analysis originate?
1950s
What are global reference scenarios?
Agreed and widely used projections of future emissions, sometimes with socio-economic narratives
Most universal reference scenarios are from the IPCC, these include _____
Representative concentration pathways (RCPs) & accompanying shared socioeconomic platforms (SSPs)
What are IAMs?
Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) - economic models that also include representations of societal and environmental phenomena and sector-specific decarbonisation pathways
Scenario analysis is used for…
Strategy and stakeholder communication to investors / regulators Resilience planning Portfolio risk management Stress Testing Pre-emotive portfolio selection
Who is scenario analysis often credited to?
Herman Kahn
What team sent its oil price forecasts to executives, what did this prepare for?
Shell’s ‘Futures’ team 1960s - sent forecasts to executives in early 1970s
Helped prepare for oil crisis of 1973
Reference scenarios are a set of agreed upon projections of emissions trajectories
Because of this, they allow for…
Cross comparability
Combinations of scenarios can be used in tandem to help cover gaps in coverage for a particular time frame
Due to a lag in the global climate system, the physical outcomes of climate change are…
Practically the same for the next few decades (until about 2050) regardless of emissions
When were stress tests widely adopted
In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008 - now increasingly repurposed to examine climate risk
First iteration of climate scenarios was devised…
In the 1990s, with assumptions around population growth, economic growth and emissions
TCFD Recommendations on Scenario Analysis x5
Challenge conventional wisdom about the future, explore alternatives that may significantly alter the basis of BAU assumptions
- Plausible
- Distinctive
- Consistent
- Relevant
- Challenging
Cammy Can Dance Pretty Rubbish
Current IPCC modelling is based on…
These are agreed upon, projected, plausible emissions based on emissions through to ___
Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs)
Plausible emissions pathways through to 2100
How were RCPs constructed?
By back-calculating the amount of emissions that would result in a given amount of radiative forcing - the difference between solar radiation absorbed by the Earth and energy radiated back into space
RCP names are based on…
The amount of radiative forcing measured in watts / meter squared
RCP 2.6 is often used as shorthand for…
Below 2*c
What are CMIP5 models?
Models used for the 2014 IPCC Report
What proportion of CMIp models found that global temperatures surpassed the 2*c threshold
22% surpassed the 2*c threshold
Meaning there is a 78% probability that global temperature does remain below 2*c
RCP 8.5 is sometimes referred to … and is used as ___
RCP8.5 referred to as BAU - sometimes used as ‘worst case scenario’
Assumes continued rising emissions, leading to much higher levels of warming
Name the RCP Pathways - which are the most popular?
RCP 1.9
RCP 2.6*
RCP 4.5
RCP 6.0
RCP 8.5*
What is the RCP pathway equivalent for ‘current policies’
RCP 6.0
Approx 2.8*c
Why were shared socioeconomic pathways developed?
Developed in conjunction with the RCPs
SSPs intended to provide plausible scenarios for how the world evolves in areas such as population, economic growth, education, level of globalisation, urbanisation etc.
Only some SSPs and compatible with some RCPs.
Which RCP is not feasible with any SSPs?
RCP 8.5
Which two RCPs are both possible to achieve under baseline SSP1 assumptions?
RCP 1.9 and RCP 2.6
RCP 2.6 is a plausible emissions pathway under what SSPs?
Under SSP 1 and SSP 2
SSPs will be included in IPCC reports from ___ onwards
2021
IEA has x2 core reference scenarios - what are these scenarios?
- Stated Policies Scenario - reflects existing policy framework
- Sustainable Development Scenario - combines social & climate targets
IEA’s World Energy Outlook - explain
Considered one of the definitive global assessments of the energy sector
Criticised for excess of caution and friendliness towards FF sector, solar PV capacity annually always underestimated
In 2019, after pressure to include an energy model compatible with 1.5*c included in its 2020 outlook