Our understanding of global climate change is mainly based on General Circulation Models (GCMs) with a relatively coarse resolution. Since climate change impacts are mainly experienced on regional scales, high-resolution climate change scenarios need to be derived from GCM simulations by downscaling. Validation of downscaling methods is crucial, but several aspects have not been systematically assessed: temporal variability from sub-daily to decadal time scales including climate change, extreme events, spatial coherence and variability, and inter-variable consistency together with the related uncertainties.

The COST Action VALUE (2012-2015) will provide a European network to validate and develop downscaling methods and improve the collaboration between the dispersed research communities and with stakeholders. The Action will sytematically compare the different downscaling approaches and assess the aspects listed above.

VALUE will deliver an assessment of end-user needs, a benchmark data set and pseudo reality for the validation, a set of validation measures, the validation of state-of-the-art methods and guidelines for stakeholders. It will guide the development of improved regional climate change scenarios for Europe and thereby be relevant for European societies and politics.

The main objective of VALUE is to establish a network to systematically validate and improve downscaling methods for climate change research. VALUE will in particular deliver an assessment of end user requirements, an inventory of downscaling methods, a set of validation measures and tailed guidelines for the use of downscaling methods. The validation will ultimately guide the development of improved local and regional-scale climate change scenarios for Europe for the 21st century, based upon the best performing downscaling methods. The aim of VALUE will be achieved by addressing the following objectives:

• To integrate previously unconnected research communities, especially those of DDS and SDS within the climate community, and statisticians with the climate community itself.
• To coordinate the improvement and development of methods in an inter-disciplinary environment.
• To guide the application of well-performing methods to provide scenarios for regional climate change in Europe during the 21st century.
• To provide cross-disciplinary training for young researchers.
• To improve the dialogue between downscaling researchers and stakeholders, and to inform the latter about the results of the Action.

Consult here the official parties in the COST web.

Institute of Geography People: Elke Hertig	School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham People: Jonathan Eden Martin Widmann	Institute of Meteorology and Water Management People: Krystyna Pianko-Kluczynska Krystyna Konca-Kedzierska Barbara Brzoska Bartosz Czernecki Adam Jaczewski
Porto University - Institute of Geography People: Ana Monteiro	Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb People: Kristina Potocki	Agencia Estatal de Meteorología People: Maria Jesus Casado
Servizio IdroMeteoClima - Agenzia Regionale Prevenzione e Ambiente Emilia-Romagna People: Rodica Tomozeiu Valentina Pavan	Centre Européen de Recherche et de Formation Avancée en Calcul Scientifique People: Christian Pagé	Eotvos Lorand University Department of Meteorology People: Rita Pongracz Judit Bartholy

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Prof. Dr. Douglas Maraun
GEOMAR | Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Westshore Campus
Düsternbrooker Weg 20 
D-24105 Kiel 
Germany
Phone: +49-431 600-4057
Fax: +49-431 600-4052
e-mail:  value2012(at)geomar.de