Demystifying Climate: And It’s All Free

Demystifying Climate: And It’s All Free

Ever now and then I need an easy blog. This is one of them.

First, some time ago, I mentioned that I was collaborating with Andrew Gettelman on a book. It’s out! It’s free! That is, the electronic version is free. The title is Demystifying Climate Models: A Users Guide to Earth Systems Models. There is a real paper book that you can buy, and I am sure that Springer would appreciate the business.

Andrew and I tried to write a different sort of book. It is not a text book for those striving to build climate models. Nor is it a book aimed at the general public. We have tried to hit a sweet spot of those who, well

“Climate model users are practitioners in many fields who desire to incorporate information about climate and climate change into planning and management decisions. Users may be scientists and engineers in fields such as ecosystems or water resources. These scientists are familiar with models and the roles of models in natural science. In other cases, the practitioners are engineers, urban planners, epidemiologists, or architects. Though not necessarily familiar with models of natural science, experts in these fields use quantitative information for decision-making. These experts are potential users of climate models. We hope in the end that by understanding climate models and their uncertainties, the reader will understand how climate models are constructed to represent the earth’ s climate system. The book is intended to help the reader become a more competent interpreter or translator of climate model output.”



Open access electronic version of the book available at Demystifying Climate Models: A Users Guide to Earth Systems Models

I know that there is a cohort of my blog readers who are part of our target audience. We would welcome comments on this blog. Also, we would welcome you passing on the link, and if it is in your wherewithal, we are hoping to get a (good) review here or there.

My long time readers will see a little of the blogs in the text.

Second, I have been waiting for one of those cold outbreaks that, you know, prove there is no global warming, despite the fact that is has been more that 31 years since there was a month cooler than the twentieth century average. But it was a pretty warm winter in the U.S. Yes, it has been cold over Iceland, but it’s Iceland. I have had a piece or two produced by Peter Sinclair, that talks about how it can be cold in a warm world.

There was something of a cold snap in D.C., which is where climate change affects the Senate. Thanks to my department at the University of Michigan, Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering (CLaSP), I have worked with Chris Edwards to explore a more polished set of videos to communicate climate change. The first is called “It Still Gets Cold.”

You can watch it here: It Still Gets Cold on Youtube. (Maybe someone will tell me how to put a youtube video so you can see it as an image to click on.)

CLaSP, Chris, and I are trying to imagine a whole series, so if you have any suggestions on what is needed and how to make an effective set of videos that might, say, help accelerate the use of climate knowledge in meaningful ways in policy, planning, management, and business, let us know.

Third, Ilissa Ocko was an undergraduate at Michigan and took a couple of classes from me. She is, now, a climate scientist and blogger at Environmental Defense Fund. She has started a project where she designs and produces graphics on climate change causes, impacts, and solutions. She uses Instagram and the project is called The Climate Picture. Here is an example:



From The Climate Picture


And, yes, can you believe it? It's all free!

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