Center for Environmental Monitoring & Analysis

This report presents a comprehensive assessment of climate change scenarios for Delaware using the most recent modeling results from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), the best available projections of future climate, and information from the most recent international and national climate assessments. The scenarios summarized in this report aim to inform policymakers, planners, and stakeholders by conveying the potential ranges and trajectories of climate changes through the mid- and late 21st century under a range of greenhouse gas concentrations and “shared socio-economic pathways” (SSPs). These SSPs represent potential futures of human activity and choices, such as population growth, development, and energy usage, that impact and drive future projection of greenhouse gas emissions. Understanding and preparing for these potential futures is essential to provide a strong scientific foundation for the development of the state’s mitigation and adaptation planning and strategies.

Climate change projections for Delaware were developed through the collaborative efforts of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), the University of Delaware Center for Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (CEMA), the Delaware Climate Office (DCO), and the Delaware Technical Climate Advisors Committee (TCA), a community of scientists and practitioners from Delaware’s state agencies and universities. CEMA was responsible for all collection, analysis, and interpretation of the observational and modeled data and development of this report.

Funding for this study was provided by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy.