ESM2025 is an ambitious European project on Earth System Modelling that aims to develop the next generation of Earth System Models (ESMs)

Developing a novel generation of ESMs will provide relevant climate simulations for the design of comprehensive climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, in line with the Paris Agreement. This next generation of ESMs will include an improved representation of the full Earth-system response to anthropogenic emissions, with a particular focus on human land-use change.

ESM2025 is funded by the H2020 European Commission programme for 4 years. Led by Météo France-CNRM, it is carried out by an interdisciplinary team of 20 partners from 7 countries across Europe (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK) and Australia. The team is composed of Earth-system scientists and model developers, experts in machine learning and data-driven hybrid modelling, model evaluation and feedback analysis, as well as specialists in integrated assessment models, climate education and science-policy communication.

Project activities are divided into 4 core themes, ranging from scientific activities to knowledge exchange and outreach. The first three core themes are dedicated to research activities (from component development, process parameterization, couplings, to interactions with the Integrated Assessment Modelling community); the 4th is devoted to the dissemination and exchange of knowledge with stakeholders and the general public. Interactions between the 4 core themes are facilitated by dedicated cross-cutting actions and decision-making boards that link the different activities of the project to ensure their smooth running.

IIASA is a key contributor to WP11+12 Improving reduced-complexity carbon-cycle and climate models, that are part of the third core theme that aims to connect improved high-complexity ESMs with Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) through the development and improvement of reduced-complexity models. IIASA also contributes to WP13 Assessment of robust and resilient climate action, that is part of the fourth core theme about operationalizing the Paris Agreement, outreach and knowledge exchange.

Partners

European Union © European Union

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 101003536.

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Kikstra, J.S. , Nicholls, Z.R.J. , Smith, Christopher J., Lewis, J., Lamboll, R.D., Byers, E. , Sandstad, M., Meinshausen, M, Gidden, M.J. , Rogelj, J. , Kriegler, E., Peters, G.P., Fuglestvedt, J.S., Skeie, R.B., Samset, B.H., Wienpahl, L., van Vuuren, D.P., van der Wijst, K.-I., Al Khourdajie, A., Forster, P.M., Reisinger, A., Schaeffer, R., & Riahi, K. (2022). The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report WGIII climate assessment of mitigation pathways: from emissions to global temperatures. Geoscientific Model Development 15 (24) 9075-9109. 10.5194/gmd-15-9075-2022. 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