Bias Adjustment and the Question of Usable Climate Information: Methodological Assumptions and Value Judgments

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Fiona Raphaela Spuler - , University of Reading, Alan Turing Institute (Author)
  • Jakob Benjamin Wessel - , University of Exeter (Author)
  • Julie Jebeile - , University of Bern, Centre national de recherches météorologiques (Author)
  • Jakob Zscheischler - , Chair of Data Analytics in Hydro Sciences, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Theodore G. Shepherd - , University of Reading (Author)

Abstract

Statistical bias adjustment has become a common practice to increase the relevance of climate model outputs for impact studies and other societal applications. However, the application of bias adjustment raises fundamental issues identified in the literature, calling into question the credibility of the adjusted climate information. In the attempt to address the usability gap of climate model output despite these unresolved issues, different approaches to bias adjustment have emerged—from applying a single consistent method across studies, selecting the most suitable method for a given use case, to employing an ensemble of bias adjustment methods. This paper examines how these approaches rest on both methodological assumptions and implicit value judgments about what constitutes usable climate information and for whom it is produced. Building on recent literature in the philosophy of science, we propose a framework for evaluating the usability of climate projections in the context of bias adjustment and apply this framework to evaluate the different approaches to bias adjustment. To evaluate the credibility of the adjusted climate information, the paper provides a detailed discussion of two key methodological assumptions underlying different approaches, the interpretation of performance differences of bias adjustment methods and changes to the climate model trend and ensemble through bias adjustment. Through this perspec-tive, we aim to situate bias adjustment in the discussion around usable climate information and the production of climate services, while offering a practical discussion of assumptions for climate impact researchers and climate service practitioners working with bias adjustment methods. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Statistical bias adjustment of climate model output has become common practice but raises fundamental issues unresolved in the literature. Informed by the development of the software package ibicus for the comparison and evaluation of bias adjustment methods, this perspective provides both a technical discussion of methodological assumptions of prevalent approaches to bias adjustment and a philosophical reflection on the associated interpretations of usable climate information. Both of these aspects inform the approach to bias adjustment chosen in practice.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)E79-E102
JournalBulletin of the American Meteorological Society
Volume107
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2026
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0001-6045-1629/work/205992892

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Climate change, Climate models, Climate services, Decision making, Statistical techniques, Uncertainty