ABC-X - Extremes in the Earth System: Dynamics, Feedbacks, and Impacts
How do extreme events affect feedbacks in the Earth system?
Extreme events demonstrate the interactions between the climate, human beings, and the environment especially clearly: for example, when heatwaves result in there being more moisture in the air, producing storms and heavy rain. These storms pose a risk for humans and animals alike and can damage crops, streets and homes. Or when wildfires break out during a drought, wiping out farmland – which frequently results in shortages of essential goods, making what’s left extremely expensive and potentially escalating into conflicts or even wars.
How likely are such events in the near future, and how great are the accompanying risks? How do extremes in one area, like the atmosphere, affect others – like certain ecosystems or the smooth functioning of society? How great are the potential feedbacks? And how will our future climate be influenced by interactions between different extremes within the Earth system?
The project “ABC-X: Extremes in the Earth System” bridges CLICCS Topics A, B and C and investigates interactions between the atmosphere, ocean and land, and at various levels of society, like governments, media and markets. At the same time, through ABC-X, CLICCS is intensifying internal exchanges and providing a platform for interdisciplinary approaches and special experiments, model-based simulations, and case studies.
Consequently, we
- work in an interdisciplinary manner and consistently apply statistical instruments in a range of disciplines,
- bridge different spatial and temporal scales, e.g. via ICON,
- view social dynamics together with extreme events so as to gain a better grasp of both,
- integrate extreme social events into climate change scenarios to gain new data on feedbacks, and
- develop economic models that more accurately reflect climate extremes and ecosystem responses.
Chairs: Christian Beer (UHH; CLICCS A), Achim Oberg (UHH; CLICCS B), Jana Sillmann (UHH; CLICCS C)
Team: Leonard Borchert (contact person), Lukas Brunner, Min-Jun Kwon, Daniel Gotthardt, Lin Yu