The challenge to detect and attribute effects of climate change on human and natural systems

• DOI: 10.1007/s10584-013-0873-6
• Publication Date: 2013-08-29T10:18:17Z
• Authors: Dáithí Stone; Maximilian Auffha...; Mark Carey; Gerrit Hansen; Christian Huggel; Wolfgang Cramer; David Lobell; Ulf Molau; Andrew Solow; Lourdes Tibig; Gary Yohe
• Keywords: Discipline; Earth system science; Cross disciplinary

Anthropogenic climate change has triggered impacts on natural and human systems world-wide, yet the formal scientific method of detection attribution been only insufficiently described. Detection is a fundamentally cross-disciplinary issue, involving concepts, terms, standards spanning varied requirements various disciplines. Key problems for current assessments include limited availability long-term observations, knowledge processes mechanisms involved in changing environmental systems, widely different concepts applied literature. In order to facilitate future assessments, this paper describes conceptual framework field outlines number challenges. Based this, it proposes workable definitions, standards. The specifically intended serve as baseline continued development consistent that will integrated assessment impacts.