Developing Human System Modules for Regional Climate Models Jessie Cherry Peter Larsen

Presentation Outline “Old school” approach to the study of Human Dimensions (HD) of Climate Change; Shortcomings with the “old school” approach; Some examples of HD modeling; Direct integration of HD into regional climate modeling (i.e., “new school”); Implementation potential for particular sectors “Old school” approach to the study of Human Dimensions (HD) of Climate Change; Shortcomings with the “old school” approach; Some examples of HD modeling; Direct integration of HD into regional climate modeling (i.e., “new school”); Implementation potential for particular sectors

General Climate-related Modeling Approaches Source: IPCC, 2007

Past Treatment of Human Dimensions Second (or third-order) modeling runs; Limited use of downscaled physical projections; Few examples of model comparison/testing platforms and input/output sensitivity analyses; Weighted index, Delphi, and/or subjective approaches are often employed; and Stakeholder feedback often occurs later on in the development process, if at all.

Examples of Modeling HD: Alaska HD Project: “Estimating Risk to Alaska Public Infrastructure from Climate Change” (Larsen et al, 2008)

Examples of Modeling HD: Alaska

Examples of Modeling HD: California HD Project: “Estimating Risk to California Energy Infrastructure from Climate Change” (Sathaye et al, 2009)

Examples of Modeling HD: California

The “old school” de-coupled HD approach: creates a strong disconnect between the physical modeling and the climate impacts communities; occasionally ignores stakeholder needs for timely policy and decision making; often misses important feedbacks between human agents and the climate system; and makes it difficult to compare and test alternative modeling techniques. Past/Current HD Modeling Concerns

Resource Development Hazard Response Freshwater Supply Renewable Energy (wind, hydro, geothermal) Commercial and Sport Fishing/Hunting Public and Private Infrastructure Tourism Subsistence Harvest Marine Transport Human Health Some Arctic Human Dimensions….

1.Develop Human System Modules directly into the Arctic System Modeling platform; 2.Make these modules portable and transparent between different regional models; 3.Encourage international collaboration; 4.Focus on producing multiple socioeconomic impact measures; and 5.Facilitate model testing, scenario development, stakeholder feedback, etc. A “New School” HD Modeling Proposal….

Need not occur at each model time step (e.g., hours vs. planning decades); One or two-way coupling may be appropriate depending on the system (e.g., GHG emissions); and Socioeconomic data collection and dissemination will need to be substantially improved; Quantifying coupled model uncertainty is very important, but difficult to communicate. Some Thoughts on Climate/HD Model Interactions

Some Thoughts on Communicating Uncertainty in HD Impacts… Source: Larsen et al (2008) Three different AOGCMs Monte-carlo Simulation (varied inputs)

More Thoughts on Uncertainty in HD Impact Estimates… Harvard Economics Professor Martin Weitzman noted in a seminal 2008 paper that fat-tailed structural uncertainty about climate change, coupled with a lack of information about high-temperature damages, can potentially outweigh the influence of discounting in a cost-benefit analysis framework.

Training and supporting interdisciplinary researchers may be the biggest challenge; Pan-Arctic data collection and management is another major challenge; Stakeholder engagement is time-consuming and expensive; Some research disciplines are further along in the evolution of systems modeling; and User-friendly “decision support tools” will need to be developed in close collaboration with stakeholders. What are the Challenges?

There are (some) appropriate existing regional HD models; We have the computing resources; We can attempt to minimize miscommunications between the physical and social scientists across the Arctic; It’s interesting and policy-relevant work at the frontiers of research!!! Why include HD modules directly into an ASM?

Questions?

Additional Information  International Arctic Research Center at UAF:  Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP):  State of Alaska Climate Change Materials:  E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:  Goldman School of Public Policy: Note: This presentation includes personal views of Peter Larsen.  International Arctic Research Center at UAF:  Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP):  State of Alaska Climate Change Materials:  E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:  Goldman School of Public Policy: Note: This presentation includes personal views of Peter Larsen.

Climate Change Planning Walsh & Chapman: PRISM downscaled multi-model projections of temperature and precipitation for AK under various scenarios of Greenhouse Gas emissions

Integrated Assessment Definition: any model which combines scientific and socio-economic aspects of climate change primarily for the purpose of assessing policy options for climate change control (Kelly & Kolstad, 1998)

Integrated Assessment Modeling McGuffie & Henderson-Sellers, 2005

Integrated Assessment Models McGuffie & Henderson-Sellers, 2005

Example of Human System Module Cherry Goal is to be model independent; work with CCSM and other models/ couplers

Communicating uncertainty

New Scientific Methodology? Funtowicz & Ravetz, in Ecological Economics, 1991

Arctic human dimensions Oil and Gas Module (spill transport) Rural Resilience (wind power potential) Coastal Erosion (evolving coastline) Freshwater (hydropower, water supply) Marine Fisheries (Bering ecosystem) Marine Transport (ice cover trajectories)

Ammonium Euphausiids Neocalanus Small Phytoplankton Detritus Small microzooplankton Large microzooplankton Nitrate Large Phytoplankton Pseudocalanus Iron 14 component Model NPZD-Benthos Predation Losses Benthos Benthic Infauna Benthic Detritus BSIERP Lower Trophic Level Ecosystem Model

BSIERP FEAST Higher trophic level model NPZ-B-D Lower trophic level ROMS Physical Oceanography Economic/ecological model Climate scenarios BSIERP Vertically Integrated models Nested models BEST

Infrastructure Impact of Climate Change on Infrastructure study done for Alaska by Peter Larsen and collaborators

Flow Chart of Model Processes Climate Projections NCAR UAF GI Import_Wx_UAF_NCAR_10_10_06.sas $ Depreciator_10_10_06b.sas Graphs Tables Depr. Matrix Denali DRM DCCED DNR Others APID Infrastructure_DB_09_28_06.sas

ISER Public Infrastructure Study

Wind Farm Parameterization for WRF Adams & Keith Modification of the MYJ PBL scheme Similar work being done commercially by 3TIER, AER, others

MMS-WRF winds 1

MMS-WRF winds 2

MMS-WRF winds 3

MMS-WRF winds 4

Hydropower AEA AEA Energy Atlas, 2007

Ship track

Example of Climate-Related Decision Support