Climate Warming in Response to Emission Reductions Consistent with the Paris Agreement

To limit global warming to well below 2°C in accord with the Paris Agreement, countries throughout the world have submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) outlining their greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation actions in the next few decades. However, it remains unclear what the...

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Main Authors: Fang Wang, Katarzyna B. Tokarska, Jintao Zhang, Quansheng Ge, Zhixin Hao, Xuezhen Zhang, Maowei Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Advances in Meteorology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2487962
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author Fang Wang
Katarzyna B. Tokarska
Jintao Zhang
Quansheng Ge
Zhixin Hao
Xuezhen Zhang
Maowei Wu
author_facet Fang Wang
Katarzyna B. Tokarska
Jintao Zhang
Quansheng Ge
Zhixin Hao
Xuezhen Zhang
Maowei Wu
author_sort Fang Wang
collection DOAJ
description To limit global warming to well below 2°C in accord with the Paris Agreement, countries throughout the world have submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) outlining their greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation actions in the next few decades. However, it remains unclear what the resulting climate change is in response to the proposed INDCs and subsequent emission reductions. In this study, the global and regional warming under the updated INDC scenarios was estimated from a range of comprehensive Earth system models (CMIP5) and a simpler carbon-climate model (MAGICC), based on the relationship of climate response to cumulative emissions. The global GHG emissions under the updated INDC pledges are estimated to reach 14.2∼15.0 GtC/year in 2030, resulting in a global mean temperature increase of 1.29∼1.55°C (median of 1.41°C) above the preindustrial level. By extending the INDC scenarios to 2100, global GHG emissions are estimated to be around 6.4∼9.0 GtC/year in 2100, resulting in a global mean temperature increase by 2.67∼3.74°C (median of 3.17°C). The Arctic warming is projected to be most profound, exceeding the global average by a factor of three by the end of this century. Thus, climate warming under INDC scenarios is projected to greatly exceed the long-term Paris Agreement goal of stabilizing the global mean temperature at to a low level of 1.5‐2.0°C above the pre-industrial. Our study suggests that the INDC emission commitments need to be adjusted and strengthened to bridge this warming gap.
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spelling doaj-art-d53f818dbb0345ce8c3ce1aca8fb72d02025-08-20T02:19:58ZengWileyAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172018-01-01201810.1155/2018/24879622487962Climate Warming in Response to Emission Reductions Consistent with the Paris AgreementFang Wang0Katarzyna B. Tokarska1Jintao Zhang2Quansheng Ge3Zhixin Hao4Xuezhen Zhang5Maowei Wu6Department of Climate and Environment Change, Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, ChinaSchool of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8W 3V6, CanadaDepartment of Climate and Environment Change, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Climate and Environment Change, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Climate and Environment Change, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Climate and Environment Change, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Climate and Environment Change, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaTo limit global warming to well below 2°C in accord with the Paris Agreement, countries throughout the world have submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) outlining their greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation actions in the next few decades. However, it remains unclear what the resulting climate change is in response to the proposed INDCs and subsequent emission reductions. In this study, the global and regional warming under the updated INDC scenarios was estimated from a range of comprehensive Earth system models (CMIP5) and a simpler carbon-climate model (MAGICC), based on the relationship of climate response to cumulative emissions. The global GHG emissions under the updated INDC pledges are estimated to reach 14.2∼15.0 GtC/year in 2030, resulting in a global mean temperature increase of 1.29∼1.55°C (median of 1.41°C) above the preindustrial level. By extending the INDC scenarios to 2100, global GHG emissions are estimated to be around 6.4∼9.0 GtC/year in 2100, resulting in a global mean temperature increase by 2.67∼3.74°C (median of 3.17°C). The Arctic warming is projected to be most profound, exceeding the global average by a factor of three by the end of this century. Thus, climate warming under INDC scenarios is projected to greatly exceed the long-term Paris Agreement goal of stabilizing the global mean temperature at to a low level of 1.5‐2.0°C above the pre-industrial. Our study suggests that the INDC emission commitments need to be adjusted and strengthened to bridge this warming gap.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2487962
spellingShingle Fang Wang
Katarzyna B. Tokarska
Jintao Zhang
Quansheng Ge
Zhixin Hao
Xuezhen Zhang
Maowei Wu
Climate Warming in Response to Emission Reductions Consistent with the Paris Agreement
Advances in Meteorology
title Climate Warming in Response to Emission Reductions Consistent with the Paris Agreement
title_full Climate Warming in Response to Emission Reductions Consistent with the Paris Agreement
title_fullStr Climate Warming in Response to Emission Reductions Consistent with the Paris Agreement
title_full_unstemmed Climate Warming in Response to Emission Reductions Consistent with the Paris Agreement
title_short Climate Warming in Response to Emission Reductions Consistent with the Paris Agreement
title_sort climate warming in response to emission reductions consistent with the paris agreement
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2487962
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