Rapid Evaluation Framework for the CMIP7 Assessment Fast Track

@article{hoffman2026rapid,
  title = {{Rapid Evaluation Framework for the CMIP7 Assessment Fast Track}},
  author = {Forrest M. Hoffman and Birgit Haßler and Ranjini Swaminathan and Jared Lewis and Bouwe Andela and Nathan Collier and Dora Hegedūs and Jiwoo Lee and Charlotte Pascoe and Mika Pflüger and Martina Stockhause and Paul Aaron Ullrich and Min Xu and Lisa Bock and Felicity Chun and Bettina K. Gier and Douglas Ian Kelley and Axel Lauer and Julien Lenhardt and Manuel Schlund and Mohanan Geethalekshmi Sreeush and Katja Weigel and Ed Blockley and Rebecca L. Beadling and Romain Beucher and Demiso Daba Dugassa and Valerio Lembo and Jianhua Lü and Swen Brands and Jerry Fong Tjiputra and Elizaveta Malinina and Brian Medeiros and Enrico Scoccimarro and Jeremy P. R. B. Walton and Philip Kershaw and André Lanfer Marquez and Malcolm J. Roberts and Eleanor O’Rourke and Beth Dingley and Briony Turner and Helene Theresa Hewitt and John P. Patrick Dunne},
  journal = {Geoscientific model development},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.5194/gmd-19-7415-2026},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-7415-2026},
  note = {CC BY},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Rapid Evaluation Framework for the CMIP7 Assessment Fast Track
AU  - Forrest M. Hoffman
AU  - Birgit Haßler
AU  - Ranjini Swaminathan
AU  - Jared Lewis
AU  - Bouwe Andela
AU  - Nathan Collier
AU  - Dora Hegedūs
AU  - Jiwoo Lee
AU  - Charlotte Pascoe
AU  - Mika Pflüger
AU  - Martina Stockhause
AU  - Paul Aaron Ullrich
AU  - Min Xu
AU  - Lisa Bock
AU  - Felicity Chun
AU  - Bettina K. Gier
AU  - Douglas Ian Kelley
AU  - Axel Lauer
AU  - Julien Lenhardt
AU  - Manuel Schlund
AU  - Mohanan Geethalekshmi Sreeush
AU  - Katja Weigel
AU  - Ed Blockley
AU  - Rebecca L. Beadling
AU  - Romain Beucher
AU  - Demiso Daba Dugassa
AU  - Valerio Lembo
AU  - Jianhua Lü
AU  - Swen Brands
AU  - Jerry Fong Tjiputra
AU  - Elizaveta Malinina
AU  - Brian Medeiros
AU  - Enrico Scoccimarro
AU  - Jeremy P. R. B. Walton
AU  - Philip Kershaw
AU  - André Lanfer Marquez
AU  - Malcolm J. Roberts
AU  - Eleanor O’Rourke
AU  - Beth Dingley
AU  - Briony Turner
AU  - Helene Theresa Hewitt
AU  - John P. Patrick Dunne
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/13
JO  - Geoscientific model development
DO  - 10.5194/gmd-19-7415-2026
UR  - https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-7415-2026
AB  - As Earth system models (ESMs) grow in complexity and in volumes of output data, there is an increasing need for rapid, comprehensive evaluation of their scientific performance. The upcoming Assessment Fast Track for the Seventh Phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP7) will require expeditious response for model analyses designed to inform and drive integrated Earth system assessments. To meet this challenge, the Rapid Evaluation Framework (REF), a community-driven platform for benchmarking and performance assessment of ESMs, was designed and developed. The initial implementation of the REF, constructed to meet the near-term needs of the CMIP7 Assessment Fast Track, builds upon community evaluation and benchmarking tools. The REF runs within a containerized workflow for portability and reproducibility and is aimed at generating and organizing diagnostics covering a variety of model variables. The REF leverages best-available observational datasets to provide assessments of model fidelity across a collection of diagnostics. All diagnostics were identified and finally selected with community involvement and consultation. Operational integration with the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) will permit automated execution of the REF for specific diagnostics as soon as model data are published on ESGF by the originating modelling centres. The REF is designed to be portable across a range of current computational platforms to facilitate use by modelling centres for assessing the evolution of model versions or gauging the relative performance of CMIP simulations before being published on ESGF. When integrated into production simulation workflows, results from the REF provide immediate quantitative feedback that allows model developers and scientists to quickly identify model biases and performance issues. After the REF is released to the community, its subsequent development and support will be prioritized by an international consortium of scientists and engineers, enabling a broader impact across Earth science disciplines. For instance, the REF will facilitate improvements to models and reductions in uncertainties for projections since ESMs are the main tool for studying the global Earth system. Production of reproducible diagnostics and community-based assessments are the key features of the REF that help to inform mitigation and adaptation policies.
SN  - 1991-959X
SN  - 1991-9603
ER  -