CiXPAG

In CiXPAG, state-of-the-art global and regional climate model simulations will be combined with statistical downscaling approaches to provide better information on climate extremes relevant to agriculture. The project will further develop a flux-based approach in ozone chemistry and climate models. A novel and more consistent approach to include the ozone effect in statistical crop growth models will increase understanding of the interplay of environmental factors, such as downscaled climate information and air pollution, on agricultural ecosystems.

The development of these models will be informed by field experiments describing the effect of climate and ozone on selected crops. The modelling results will be embedded in the particular socio-economic and political context of the study region (Indo-Gangetic-Plain, India) that contributes substantially to regional and global food supply, but is threatened by climate extremes and air pollution. A contextualized understanding of potential responses will be jointly developed by farmers, researchers and policy makers to support effective climate change adaptation and air pollution regulation measures. Knowledge generated in CiXPAG will be relevant also for other significant food producing and exporting countries and regions (e.g., Europe, Brazil).

Project goal

The main goal of CiXPAG is to obtain a better contextual understanding of the combined impact of climate extremes and air pollution on agro-ecosystems and will help to frame effective climate change adaptation and air pollution regulation measures.

Secondary objectives include:

• Combine global and regional climate model simulations with statistical downscaling methods to provide improved information on changes in climate extremes on scales relevant for agriculture
• Assess ozone sensitivity of modern crop cultivars bred for adaptation to extreme climate events
• Improve the dry deposition scheme in global and regional atmospheric chemistry models to better account for ozone uptake by plants
• Incorporate the ozone effect on plants in statistical crop models to derive realistic estimate for changes in future crop productivity
• Investigate the impacts of current and projected ozone concentrations on agriculture within the context of climate change
• Integrate local knowledge to develop effective climate change adaptation strategies and air pollution regulation measures

CiXPAG focuses on an important food producing region and knowledge gained in this project can be applied to other regions. CiXPAG is well-founded in international collaboration of interdisciplinary experts.