Our goals
Within the framework of the updating process of the Regional Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change of the Region of Sardinia, the purpose of the activity was to outline the characteristics of the current and expected climate related to anthropogenic climate changes in the region of Sardinia, with specific focus on the Metropolitan Cities of Cagliari and Sassari. In particular, the activity concerned the analysis of climate variability at the local level that has characterised the recent past (also defined as the reference period) and the analysis of expected future climate variations due to climate change on the basis of the two RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios drawn up by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Climate models with very high spatial and temporal resolution developed by CMCC were used to develop the targets, two kilometres and one hour respectively. Changes in the expected future climate compared to the climate over the reference period were reported in terms of climate indicators, which represent specific (average and extreme) climate characteristics. Their analysis allows for a better understanding and quantification of expected climate trends in terms of variation in frequency, magnitude and intensity anomalies for specific atmospheric dynamics such as heat waves, windstorms, intense rainfall, and meteorological droughts. These analyses, in turn, provide preliminary indications of the impacts of climate change on different geographical areas and sectors.
Carried out activities
The activities carried out concerned:
- Development of the climate profile of the Sardinia Region through the two products of CMCC ERA5@2Km and VHR-PRO_IT. Past and present period characteristics were carried out for the period 1981-2010, while future variations were outlined for the period 2021-2050 with respect to a reference period 1981-2010 and according to the IPCC RCP4.5 and RCP4.8 scenarios.
- Comparison and validation of the profiles with available and representative state-of-the-art products, in particular the results of ERA5@2Km were cross-referenced with the CERRA re-analysis for the period 1991-2020, and the results of VHR-PRO_IT with the Euro-CORDEX model set.
Selection and calculation of climate indicators performed on the results of the application of the climate models used. The indicators and their variation were reported in tabular and map format over the entire regional territory and the Metropolitan Cities of Cagliari and Sassari.
Dataclime functionalities
By registering to the Dataclime platform, the user is provided with the possibility of downloading maps and time series of climate hazard indicators of the observed climate as well as anomalies expected in the future using both the high-resolution climate projections developed by the CMCC and those made available through other programmes and projects.