Municipal temperature and heatwave predictions as a tool for integrated socio-environmental impact analysis in Brazil

Abstract:

Numerical climate models render data in a gridded format which is often problematic for integrated analysis with other kinds of data in jurisdictional formats. In this paper a joint analysis of municipal Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDPc) and predicted temperature increase was undertaken in order to estimate different levels of human and economic exposure. This is based on a method of converting model outputs into a country municipal grid which enabled depicting climate predictions from the Eta-Hadgem2-ES Regional Climate Model (RCM) into the municipal level in Brazil. The conversion to country municipality grid was made using a combination of interpolation and buffering techniques in ArcGIS for two emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 8.5) and three timeframes (2011-2040, 2041-2070, 2071-2100) for mean temperature increase and number of heatwave days (WSDI).

The results were used to support the Third National Communication (TCN) of Brazil to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and show a coherent matching of the gridded output from the original RCM. The joint climate and GDPc analysis show that in the beginning of the century the more severe warming is centred over regions where GDPc is generally higher (Centre-West and Southeast). At the end of the century, critical levels of warming spread north and northeastwards where municipalities have the lowest GDPc levels. In the high emission scenario (RCP 8.5) the strongest warming and the spreading over poorer regions is anticipated to the mid-century. These results are key to further explore solutions for climate change adaptation based on current resources and prepare in different sectors, for long-term risk management and climate adaptation planning strategies.