Societal & Ecological Impacts Science Theme

This science theme focuses on questions around human health, water, food, air quality, ecological functions and biodiversity.

Primary science questions are centered on how ecosystems and oceans will respond to various climate intervention strategies. Little research has been done in this area and one major question is how to connect outcomes and identify metrics from currently existing large-scale climate model output to small-scale ecological systems. Metrics like surface temperature or large-scale precipitation are often not sufficient and new metrics have to be developed that will include relevant variables and scale.

There is a need to analyze the connection between ecosystem changes and economic risks and benefits, as well as changes in agriculture and health as the result of different climate intervention strategies. Effects and feedbacks of climate intervention, including SRM or CDR methods, on ecosystems and biodiversity are not included in current models or considerations for future scenarios. There is a need to explore existing observational networks to harness important data. Understanding of societal and ecosystem relevant impacts are important for scenario design and essential future decision making.