Work Package 10 - Improving IAM-ESM land use representation
In this work package (WP), we aim to improve the representation of land-based mitigation options in the land surface models (LSMs) used in Earth system models. We will focus on agricultural practices (bioenergy crop yields, harvesting, fertilizer, irrigation) and afforestation, reforestation and forest management approaches. We will use the improved LSMs to study the biogeochemical and biophysical climate impacts of the land management practices, and their implications for the effectiveness of land-based climate mitigation strategies. These developments will strengthen the linkages between integrated assessment models and Earth system models, enabling comprehensive assessments of biogeochemical and biophysical effects of future mitigation scenarios.
Our objectives are: 1) to improve the ability of land surface models to simulate potentials for climate mitigation through targeted land-management practices; 2) to deliver improved land management schemes to the project Earth system models. This will enable new couplings and feedbacks to be explored and will pave the way for a robust analysis of potential land-based mitigation options for realizing the Paris Agreement; 3) to inform calibration of a reduced complexity climate model (MAGICC) through sensitivity experiments focused on land carbon fluxes responses to land-use change and land management; and 4) to incorporate new knowledge on the role of local climate and environmental constraints (e.g. nutrients, water) on land productivity and the effectiveness of land management measures into the REMIND-MagPIE integrated assessment model.
Institutions involved: Our WP focuses on improvements of four land surface models. The models (and their host ESMs) are 1) ICON (JSBACH): MPG-LMU, 2) IPSL-CM (ORCHIDEE): CNRS, 3) NorESM (FATES): CICERO, MetNo, and 4) JULES (UKESM): UK Met Office, University of Exeter. We also work with the REMIND-MagPIE IAM (PIK).
WP10 Leaders
Rosie Fisher
In ESM2025, I am co-lead of work package 10 and will conduct FATES modeling activity in CT3, CP10, WP11 and 12. I will implement land-use transitions, woody biomass plantations and harvesting into the FATES demographic model and conduct idealised experiments to assess uncertainty in carbon sequestration potential in FATES.
Eddy Robertson
In ESM2025, to be completed...
WP10 Milestones & Deliverables
MS10.1 – 30 November 2021
Definition of key diagnostics to evaluate planned ESM improvements in land management practices at the process level (CT3/WP10) and with respect to coupled interactions and coupled performance (CT2). Identification of key observational data sets and initial scoping of diagnostics intended for ESMValtool
MS10.2 – 30 November 2021
Definition of common development pathways to combine model developments concerning natural land (WP2) and land management practices (WP10) in the project ESMs
MS10.3 – 30 November 2022
Preliminary versions of the new/improved land management schemes passed to CT2 for coupling and initial testing
MS10.4 – 31 May 2023
Land simulations (CMIP6, AMIP, LS3MIP, LUMIP and TRENDY) for evaluation of new/improved land management schemes made available to XCA1 and to LPJmL/MagPIE
MS10.5 – 31 August 2023
Updated versions of new/improved land management practices schemes passed to CT2 for final coupling, tuning and use in XCA2 coupled demonstration simulations
D10.1 – 31 January 2024
Report on the implementation and the evaluation of new land management representations in the land-surface components of participating ESM2025 models
MS10.6 – 31 January 2024
Simulations of LPJmL using the local biogeophysical effects of selected land management practices from ESMs to quantify changes in land carbon cycle, agricultural yields and freshwater availability
D10.2 – 31 March 2024
Report on climate and carbon cycle changes from land management and trade-offs of global mitigation and local adaptation simulated by the participating ESM2025 models
D10.3 – 31 May 2024
Report on the impact of local biogeophysical effects of land management on land carbon cycle, agricultural yields and freshwater availability as simulated by LPJmL