Joint Global Change Research Institute

About: Joint Global Change Research Institute is a facility organization based out in Riverdale Park, Maryland, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Greenhouse gas & Climate change. The organization has 197 authors who have published 934 publications receiving 62390 citations.

Coupling a Detailed Transport Model to the Integrated Assessment Model REMIND

Abstract: The transport sector is a crucial bottleneck in the decarbonization challenge. To study the sector’s decarbonization potential in the wider systems perspective, we couple a large-scale integrated assessment model, Regionalized Model of INvestments and Development (REMIND), to a detailed transport model, Energy Demand Generator-Transport (EDGE-T). This approach allows the analysis of mobility futures in the context of long-term and global energy sector transformations, at a high level of modal and technological granularity and internal consistency. The runtime of the coupled system increases by ~ 15–20% compared with a REMIND standalone application, and first convergence tests are promising. To illustrate the capabilities of our modeling approach, we focus on a reference pathway for Europe. Preliminary results indicate that transport service demands grow in the next decades for both passenger and freight transport. Transport system emissions are expected to decrease in the same time range, due to a shift towards electric drivetrains, advanced vehicles, more efficient modes as well as a slight increase in the share of biofuels.

A Guide to Using GitHub for Developing and Versioning Data Standards and Reporting Formats

Abstract: Author(s): Crystal-Ornelas, R; Varadharajan, C; Bond-Lamberty, B; Boye, K; Burrus, M; Cholia, S; Crow, M; Damerow, J; Devarakonda, R; Ely, KS; Goldman, A; Heinz, S; Hendrix, V; Kakalia, Z; Pennington, SC; Robles, E; Rogers, A; Simmonds, M; Velliquette, T; Weierbach, H; Weisenhorn, P; Welch, JN; Agarwal, DA | Abstract: Data standardization combined with descriptive metadata facilitate data reuse, which is the ultimate goal of the Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) principles. Community data or metadata standards are increasingly created through an approach that emphasizes collaboration between various stakeholders. Such an approach requires platforms for collaboration on the development process that centers on sharing information and receiving feedback. Our objective in this study was to conduct a systematic review to identify data standards and reporting formats that use version control for developing data standards and to summarize common practices, particularly in earth and environmental sciences. Out of 108 data standards and reporting formats identified in our review, 32 used GitHub as the version control platform, and no other platforms were used. We found no universally accepted methodology for developing and publishing data standards. Many GitHub repositories did not use key features that could help developers to gather user feedback, or to create and revise standards that build on previous work. We provide guidance for community-driven standard development and associated documentation on GitHub based on a systematic review of existing practices.

Climate change as an incentive for future human migration

Abstract: . Human migration is both motivated and constrained by a multitude of socioeconomic and environmental factors, including climate-related factors. Climatic factors exert an influence on local and regional population density. Here, we examine the implications of future motivation for humans to migrate by analyzing today's relationships between climatic factors and population density, with all other factors held constant. Such “all other factors held constant” analyses are unlikely to make quantitatively accurate predictions, but the order of magnitude and spatial pattern that come out of such an analysis can be useful when considering the influence of climate change on the possible scale and pattern of future incentives to migrate. Our results indicate that, within decades, climate change may provide hundreds of millions of people with additional incentive to migrate, largely from warm tropical and subtropical countries to cooler temperate countries, with India being the country with the greatest number of people with additional incentive to migrate. These climate-driven incentives would be among the broader constellation of incentives that influence migration decisions. Areas with the highest projected population growth rates tend to be areas that are likely to be most adversely affected by climate change.

Editorial introduction to the special issue on Uncertainty and Climate Change Adaptation

Abstract: Projections of future climate change, associated impacts and possible responses to cope with their effects are riddled with uncertainties, creating real and perceived barriers at all levels of policyand decision-making. There is uncertainty about observed climate changes and their past effects on natural and human systems. There is uncertainty about the current state of the environment and its resilience to changes. There is even larger uncertainty about future changes in the climate system and their potential consequences on the environment and human societies. In many contexts, uncertainty is interpreted as a deficit of knowledge. However, in the absence of perfect knowledge, decisions are made every day, everywhere. Planning for climate change adaptation is a relatively new challenge, but decision-makers across sectors and scales are facing growing demand for adaptation-related decisions (such as strategies, measures and investments) that need to be made now or in the future. These are expected to protect human and natural systems against potential vulnerabilities or increase their resilience, while still allowing for sustainable development. This means taking into account an immense and Climatic Change (2015) 132:369–372 DOI 10.1007/s10584-015-1444-9

Antecedent conditions determine the biogeochemical response of coastal soils to seawater exposure

Abstract: Coastal landscapes are increasingly exposed to seawater due to sea level rise and extreme weather events. The biogeochemical responses of these vulnerable ecosystems are poorly understood, limiting our ability to predict how their role in local and global biogeochemical cycles will shift under future conditions. Here we evaluate how antecedent conditions influence the biogeochemical response of soil to seawater inundation events based on a 42-day laboratory incubation experiment with soils collected from a natural salinity gradient across a coastal floodplain. We quantified influences of seawater inundation on intact soil cores through high-frequency carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) gas fluxes measurements as well as ultrahigh resolution characterization of organic matter chemistry and metabolites. Mean CO2 and CH4 fluxes were higher after inundation compared to control cores for soils that had low in situ electrical conductivity (EC). Soils with low in situ EC also exhibited significant shifts in organic matter profiles after inundation, with surficial soils (0–7.5 cm) becoming more enriched in phenolic compounds, compared to deeper soils (7.5–15 cm). The number of biochemical transformations inferred from mass spectrometry increased significantly after inundation for soils with low in situ EC. Our results suggest that seawater inundation of low-salinity terrestrial environments can lead to increased microbial activity and increasing likelihood of soil carbon release, with sites experiencing infrequent or new seawater exposure likely to be more sensitive to saltwater exposure relative to sites with more frequent exposure. We conclude that the biogeochemical impacts of future seawater exposure will be modulated by antecedent conditions associated with landscape position within coastal watersheds.