Global climate

At the Nansen Center, both natural and man-made changes in climate are studied, and what effects these have on the environment and society. We use data from measurements and climate models to identify climate change and its causes. Predictions are being developed for how the climate will change, from months to years into the future. Different emissions scenarios are used to see how different measures can contribute to limiting climate change. Climate predictions are also part of the knowledge base for which societal adaptations will be necessary as a result of future changes.

Through the work with the development of the Norwegian Earth System Model NorESM, we contribute to better climate predictions. The predictions are used, among other things, in the UN’s climate reports. International climate agreements have been concluded, and important climate measures have been implemented. In order to understand future climate development, it is of great importance to learn from the climate of the past. Reanalyses reconstruct what the climate has been like and improve the understanding of which factors affect the global climate.