A regional climate modelling and data framework that provides downscaled climate projections to support climate impact assessment, adaptation planning, and scientific research
Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX)
Link To DSS: https://cordex.org/
Developer: World Climate Research Programme, with contributions from global and regional modelling centers including IITM for South Asia
Stage Of Maturity: Fully operational, Mature
- Coverage: Global
- Climate Timescales Covered: Historical / Baseline, Long-term / Climate Change Projections, Real-time / Near Real-time Monitoring
Strengths
- Provides higher-resolution climate projections compared to global models
- Strong scientific credibility under WCRP framework
- Enables regional-scale climate impact assessments
- Multi-model ensemble supports uncertainty analysis
- Widely used and accepted in climate research and policy contexts
- Critical input for downstream DSSs and sectoral modelling
Weaknesses
- Not user-friendly for non-technical stakeholders (data-heavy, requires processing)
- No built-in visualization or decision-support interface
- Not suitable for operational forecasting or real-time applications
- Requires significant computational and technical capacity
- Limited direct translation into sector-specific advisories
Synergies
- Provides input data for visualization platforms (e.g., IPCC WGI Interactive Atlas)
- Can be integrated into risk assessment tools (e.g., UN ESCAP Risk and Resilience Portal) for future risk scenarios
- Supports data platforms (e.g., ICIMOD Regional Database System) with high-resolution projections
- Enables development of national DSSs and sectoral impact models (e.g., hydrology, agriculture)
- Can be used alongside bias correction and downscaling tools for localized applications