The Radiative Forcing Model Intercomparison Project (RFMIP2.0) for CMIP7

Abstract. An external perturbation to the climate system from anthropogenic or natural activity first impacts the climate by inducing a perturbation to Earth’s energy budget, known as a radiative forcing. The characteristics of the radiative forcing, such as its global-mean magnitude and spatial pattern, determine the subsequent climate response. Therefore, forming accurate projections of climate change first requires diagnosing radiative forcing and evaluating its persistent uncertainty in Global Climate Models. As part of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 7 (CMIP7), the second iteration of the Radiative Forcing Model Intercomparison Project (RFMIP2.0) will enable the systematic characterization of effective radiative forcing and its components across state-of-the-art climate models, through a set of fixed-Sea Surface Temperature timeslice and transient experiments. The protocol for RFMIP2.0, introduced here, will in part serve as a continuity and an expansion of core RFMIP experiments first introduced in CMIP6, some of which have now been incorporated into the overarching CMIP7 DECK and FastTrack protocols given their broad utility. This will allow for a consistent estimate for radiative forcing across multiple model generations, which is valuable for model evaluation and future development. RFMIP2.0 also includes new experiments that will address open questions about the definition of radiative forcing, such as its sensitivity to evolving surface conditions, and will further enhance an ever-growing swath of science applications that rely on an understanding of Earth’s energy budget.