The paleoclimate modeling intercomparison project contribution to CMIP5

The provision of climate information at regional to local scales is an important requirement to support informed decision making in response to potential climate change. Such information is needed to assess the impacts of climate change on human and natural systems, enabling the development of suitable adaptation and risk management strategies at the regional to local level.To date most regional climate change information has been based on Coupled Global Climate models (CGCMs), with particular use being made of coordinated multi-CGCM experiments, such as the 3rd Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3, Meehl et al. 2007). CMIP3 brought together~ 20 CGCM groups around a common set of future greenhouse gas (GHG) emission scenarios, enabling the production of a comprehensive set of coordinated future climate projections. Over the~ 5 years since CMIP3, significant improvements have occurred in CGCMs, arising from a more accurate and more complete representation of the climate system, along with increased CGCM resolution.