CMIP2

CMIP2, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 2, was a collaborative effort initiated by the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) to assess and improve the performance of climate models. It was the second phase of the CMIP, following CMIP1, and was conducted from 1995 to 1996. The primary goal of CMIP2 was to compare and evaluate the results of different climate models, focusing on their ability to simulate past, present, and future climates.

The project involved a wide range of climate models from various research institutions around the world. These models were used to simulate a variety of climate scenarios, including natural climate variability, historical climate changes, and future climate projections under different greenhouse gas emission scenarios. The simulations covered a broad range of temporal and spatial scales, from daily to centennial timescales and from local to global scales.

One of the key outcomes of CMIP2 was the identification of significant uncertainties and biases in the climate models. This led to improvements in model physics, parameterizations, and computational techniques. The project also highlighted the importance of model intercomparison in advancing climate science and in providing a basis for climate change assessments.

CMIP2 played a crucial role in the development of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, particularly the Second Assessment Report (SAR) published in 1995. The findings from CMIP2 contributed to the understanding of climate change and helped to shape the scientific consensus on the issue.

The legacy of CMIP2 continues to influence climate research and modeling efforts. The lessons learned and the improvements made during CMIP2 have been instrumental in the development of subsequent phases of the CMIP, including CMIP3, CMIP5, and CMIP6, which have further advanced our understanding of climate change and its impacts.