Dear {{ contact.VORNAME }} {{ contact.NACHNAME }},
We are writing to invite modelling teams to submit their scenario data to the Scenario Compass Initiative (SCI), an open community database developed to support comprehensive and consistent scenario assessment. Scenarios submitted to the SCI are accessible to authors of the upcoming IPCC Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) and the broader research community.
Open letters from AR7 authors
Two open letters from AR7 authors have recently been published, each including a call to submit scenario data to SCI:
- WG3 Chapter 3 (global and national climate scenarios): Abou-Ali, Guivarch, Trutnevyte et al. — Open letter on projected futures in the context of sustainable development and climate change (doi:10.5281/zenodo.20419068)
- Cross-working group (WG1/WG2/WG3): Zhang, Trutnevyte, Smith, Kikstra et al. — Open letter on inviting scenario submissions (doi:10.5281/zenodo.20356172)
How to submit
The SCI accepts two categories of submissions. Please use the appropriate portal:
Full information on the AR7 context, submission criteria, data licensing, and timelines is available at: → scenariocompass.org/ar7
Key information for submitters (FAQ)
Who should submit? All modelling teams are encouraged to submit. Submission is not restricted to scenarios relevant to IPCC AR7 — the SCI is open to any scenario data the community considers worth archiving and sharing.
What scenarios does the Scenario Compass collect for quantitative assessment?
- The scenario must be produced by a formal quantitative model (IAM, energy-economy model, CGE/partial equilibrium model, systems dynamics model, energy system optimization model, or comparable approach).
- The scenario must extend to at least 2040; 2100 or beyond is preferred.
Scenarios that are particularly encouraged for AR7 include those exploring non-middle-of-the-road socioeconomic trajectories, equity and justice dimensions, temperature overshoot, and cross-working group integration.
What is the deadline? To be considered for the First Order Draft, we encourage scenario submissions by 29 September 2026. That said, any scenario published in time to meet the IPCC's literature cutoff for the report will still be eligible for consideration.
Do I retain rights over my data? Yes. Modelling teams retain full rights over their data. Submission does not restrict any use, sharing, or publication of the data by the original producers.
What happens to unpublished data? Preliminary scenario data not yet associated with a publication may be submitted and shared with AR7 authors in advance of public release, consistent with IPCC procedures for handling unpublished literature. Data producers may request that their scenarios remain non-public until the associated manuscript is accepted.
Does submission guarantee inclusion in AR7? No. All submitted scenarios may be considered, but the decision on which scenarios to use rests entirely with the AR7 authors based on the needs of the assessment and the quality and relevance of available data.
What are the licensing terms? Publicly released scenario data from the SCI is accessible for reuse in scientific analysis under community-standard licensing terms (analogous to the AR6 ensemble), with redistribution restrictions. Original data producers must be cited alongside the SCI.
We look forward to receiving your contributions. Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions via the SCI contact page or consult the detailed information at scenariocompass.org/ar7.
Best regards,
IAMC secretariat
This message is a clarification of yesterday’s announcement to avoid language that could be misinterpreted.
