Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP)

Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) are models used by scientists to project how greenhouse gas emissions might evolve in the future, depending on human activity and policy choices. They are labeled by the amount of radiative forcing—total energy added to the Earth's climate system—by 2100, measured in watts per square meter (e.g., RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, RCP 6.0, RCP 8.5). Lower numbers represent scenarios with significant mitigation efforts, leading to less climate change, while higher ones assume continued high emissions, resulting in more warming. RCPs help guide climate research and policy planning.