van Vuuren, Detlef P.Kriegler, ElmarO’Neill, Brian C.Ebi, Kristie L.Riahi, Keywan2015-12-032015-12-032014-02Climate Change1573-1480https://hdl.handle.net/10986/23212This paper describes the scenario matrix architecture that underlies a framework for developing new scenarios for climate change research. The matrix architecture facilitates addressing key questions related to current climate research and policy-making: identifying the effectiveness of different adaptation and mitigation strategies (in terms of their costs, risks and other consequences) and the possible trade-offs and synergies. The two main axes of the matrix are: 1) the level of radiative forcing of the climate system (as characterised by the representative concentration pathways) and 2) a set of alternative plausible trajectories of future global development (described as shared socio-economic pathways). The matrix can be used to guide scenario development at different scales. It can also be used as a heuristic tool for classifying new and existing scenarios for assessment. Key elements of the architecture, in particular the shared socio-economic pathways and shared policy assumptions (devices for incorporating explicit mitigation and adaptation policies), are elaborated in other papers in this special issue.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOscenario development processclimate policycarbon pricecarbon taxadaptation policyadaptation financeshared socioeconomic pathwayJournal ArticleWorld Bank10.1596/23212