CMIP5era

CMIP5era refers to the period and scientific output associated with the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. CMIP is an international project that coordinates and standardizes the way climate models are used for research. The primary goal of CMIP5 was to provide a framework for comparing the results of different climate models, particularly in simulating past climate and projecting future climate change.

During CMIP5, numerous climate modeling centers around the world contributed simulations using their latest climate models. These models represent complex systems that couple the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, and ice. The project generated a vast dataset of climate projections based on various scenarios of future greenhouse gas emissions and socioeconomic development. These scenarios, known as Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), provided a standardized set of forcing agents for the models to respond to.

The CMIP5 era was crucial for advancing our understanding of climate sensitivity, the range of possible future warming, and the regional impacts of climate change. The data produced under CMIP5 has been extensively used by the scientific community, including by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for its assessment reports. The project's success laid the groundwork for subsequent phases of CMIP, such as CMIP6, which continue to build upon its legacy. The CMIP5 dataset remains a fundamental resource for climate research and policy-making.