The issue
Changes in climate – complex changes, involving interactions of physical, chemical, and biological processes of the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface – are already having widespread impacts on societies and ecosystems. Understanding how the land surface interacts with the atmosphere is therefore critical for climate change prediction, adaptation and mitigation.
UKCEH undertakes land surface science for climate change prediction, adaptation and mitigation. Watch our video to find out more about how our science is having a positive impact.
Our role
Our land surface science is underpinned by detailed process understanding in hydrology, ecology, micro-meteorology, biogeochemistry, and, critically, their interactions. These processes are modelled within the Joint UK Land Environment Simulation (JULES) system, coordinated by UKCEH, which provides the community with a unique UK land surface model for accurate weather and climate prediction.
Our commitment
- To improve forecasting of extreme weather events, enabling society to better prepare and respond.
- To advance land surface models, by improving representation of groundwater, irrigation, evaporation, large-scale fires, and the nitrogen cycle.
- To better represent the Arctic system in land surface modelling, given the rapid climate-driven changes in this ecosystem, and understand its role in exacerbating change.