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Climate change mitigation through negative CO2 emissions has been recognized as a crucial strategy to combat global warming. However, its potential effects on terrestrial productivity and agricultural activities remain uncertain. In this study, we utilized large ensemble simulations with an Earth system model of full complexity to investigate the response of Gross Primary Production (GPP) to CO2 forcings. Our findings reveal a significant asymmetry in the GPP response to CO2 ramp-up and symmetric ramp-down model experiments, especially in Europe, suggesting that GPP declines rapidly as CO2 levels decrease. Remarkably, during the CO2 removal period, the North Atlantic Sea surface temperature experienced cooling due to a delayed recovery of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). This cooling led to precipitation and soil moisture deficits, resulting in a rapid reduction in GPP. This asymmetry in GPP response holds consistent across multi-model simulations. These results underscore the potential implications of delayed recovery in ocean circulation, which could unexpectedly accelerate terrestrial GPP reduction. These insights are crucial for policymakers, aiding them in projecting agricultural activity and formulating targeted GPP control policies specific to the European region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric blocking has been identified as one of the key elements of the extratropical atmospheric variabilities, controlling extreme weather events in mid-latitudes. Future projections indicate that Northern Hemisphere winter blocking frequency may decrease as CO2 concentrations increase. Here, we show that such changes may not be reversed when CO2 concentrations return to the current levels. Blocking frequency instead exhibits basin-dependent changes in response to CO2 removal. While the North Atlantic blocking frequency recovers gradually from the CO2-induced eastward shift, the North Pacific blocking frequency under the CO2 removal remains lower than its initial state. These basin-dependent blocking frequency changes result from background flow changes and their interactions with high-frequency eddies. Both high-frequency eddy and background flow changes determine North Atlantic blocking changes, whereas high-frequency eddy changes dominate the slow recovery of North Pacific blocking. Our results indicate that blocking-related extreme events in the Northern Hemisphere winter may not monotonically respond to CO2 removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly skewness encapsulates the nonlinear processes of strong ENSO events and affects future climate projections. Yet, its response to CO2 forcing remains not well understood. Here, we find ENSO skewness hysteresis in a large ensemble CO2 removal simulation. The positive SST skewness in the central-to-eastern tropical Pacific gradually weakens (most pronounced near the dateline) in response to increasing CO2, but weakens even further once CO2 is ramped down. Further analyses reveal that hysteresis of the Intertropical Convergence Zone migration leads to more active and farther eastward-located strong eastern Pacific El Niño events, thus decreasing central Pacific ENSO skewness by reducing the amplitude of the central Pacific positive SST anomalies and increasing the scaling effect of the eastern Pacific skewness denominator, i.e., ENSO intensity, respectively. The reduction of eastern Pacific El Niño maximum intensity, which is constrained by the SST zonal gradient of the projected background El Niño-like warming pattern, also contributes to a reduction of eastern Pacific SST skewness around the CO2 peak phase. This study highlights the divergent responses of different strong El Niño regimes in response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When projecting future monsoon changes by carbon dioxide (CO2) pathway, most studies have analyzed precipitation responses without considering monsoon area (total area of monsoon domain, MA) variations. However, how MA responds to CO2 removal remains uncertain. This study evaluates MA variations and impacts in idealized CO2 ramp‐up (toward CO2 quadrupling), ramp‐down, and stabilized simulations using the Community Earth System Model version 1. Global MA negatively overshoots (i.e., recovery with decreasing tendency beyond the original MA) during the ramp‐down period due to reduced or rapidly recovered MA in several regional monsoons, including Northern and Southern Africa, South and East Asia, and South America, showing hysteresis when comparing CO2 ramp‐up and ramp‐down periods despite similar global warming levels. These non‐linear regional MA variations come from distinct regional summer and winter precipitation variations, which are found to be mostly associated with Intertropical Convergence Zone movements and El Niño‐like response. Further, regional monsoon precipitation characteristics also vary through CO2 ramp‐up and ramp‐down periods consistently with overall hysteresis. Changes in total monsoon precipitation resemble the distinct responses of MA. Our results suggest that regions characterized by a monsoonal climate may experience reduced seasonal rainfall variations under net‐negative CO2 emissions. Plain Language Summary: Many studies have researched how increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) affects monsoon. Most have focused on precipitation changes without considering how monsoon area (i.e., total area of monsoon domain, MA) will change. Furthermore, it is unknown how global and regional MA responds to CO2 removal. In this study, we first investigate how global to regional MA changes under CO2 concentration increase, decrease and then equilibration using climate model simulations. After CO2 removal, the global MA is largely reduced below the present‐day state, as MA decreases over several monsoon regions. Further, when we compare MA at the same global warming level in CO2 ramp‐up and ramp‐down periods, many individual monsoon regions show reduced MA during the ramp‐down period. As MA is defined based on local contrast of summer and winter precipitation, we investigate hemispheric summer and winter precipitation responses and how they affect MA. The regional changes in MA are found to be due to distinct variations of local summer or winter precipitation, which are commonly associated with large‐scale atmospheric and oceanic variations. Further impacts of changes in MA with CO2 removal on the hydrological cycle more generally, are identified. Key Points: Non‐linear responses in global and regional monsoon areas to CO2 pathway are investigated using a coupled climate modelDistinct hysteresis in monsoon area variation is identified over global to regional monsoons between CO2 ramp‐up and ramp‐down periodThe hysteresis emerges due to distinct precipitation changes with large‐scale atmospheric and oceanic responses [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding regional hydro‐climatic extreme responses to CO2 pathways is fundamental to climate change mitigation and adaptation. This study evaluates responses of extreme precipitation frequency (R30mm: days with precipitation ≥30 mm) over East Asia to idealized CO2 forcing using the Community Earth System Model (CESM1). Under a symmetric increase (ramp‐up, +1% per year until quadrupling level) and decrease (ramp‐down, about −1% per year back to the present level) of CO2 concentrations, East Asian R30mm shows an asymmetric response with higher frequency during the ramp‐down period. This hysteresis behavior is found to be due to a northwestward propagating wave response to the El Niño‐like warming, which induces a three‐cell (positive‐negative‐positive) R30mm difference pattern from central equatorial Pacific to East Asia. Monthly analysis further reveals that this asymmetry has a seasonal locking, occurring during July–September only, constrained by the background precipitation climatology over the sub‐tropical western Pacific. Plain Language Summary: Considering tremendous damages caused by regional‐scale hydro‐climatic extremes under global warming, understanding their responses to CO2 forcing is fundamentally important but in‐depth analyses have been limited. This study provides a first examination of the responses of extreme precipitation over East Asia to CO2 forcing using an ensemble simulation of the coupled climate model Community Earth System Model version. When increasing CO2 concentration at a 1%‐per‐year rate from the present level to quadrupling level and then decreasing it symmetrically, extreme precipitation frequency is found to remain higher during the ramp‐down period. This hysteresis behavior occurs strongly during July to September, implying that East Asia can experience more frequent heavy precipitation events even after CO2 concentration is recovered. Composite analysis reveals that this irreversible response originates from the El Niño‐like warming pattern, which induces a tri‐pole atmospheric wave pattern from central equatorial Pacific to East Asia. We also find that the seasonal locking of this asymmetric response is related to the background precipitation state over the sub‐tropical western Pacific. Key Points: Heavy rainfall frequency over East Asia shows an asymmetric response to CO2 forcing, remaining higher during the ramp‐down periodThe hysteresis behavior is caused by a northwestward propagating wave response to the El Niño‐like equatorial Pacific warmingThis asymmetry is evident during July–September only, constrained by background precipitation state over the sub‐tropical western Pacific [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the response of the general circulation and global transport of heat through both atmosphere and ocean to two-types of carbon dioxide removal scenario, we performed an earth system model experiment in which we imposed a pulse-type quadrupling of CO2 forcing for 50 years and a gradual peak-and-decline of four-time CO2 forcing. We found that the results from two experiments are qualitatively similar to each other. During the forcing-on period, a dominant warming in the upper troposphere over the tropics and on the surface at high latitudes led to a slowdown in the Hadley circulation, but the poleward atmospheric energy transport was enhanced due to an increase in specific humidity. This counteracted the reduction in poleward oceanic energy transport owing to the suppression of the meridional overturning circulation in both Hemispheres. After returning the original CO2 level, the hemispheric thermal contrast was reversed, causing a southward shift of the intertropical convergence zone. To reduce the hemispheric thermal contrast, the northward energy transports in the atmosphere and ocean surface were enhanced while further weakening of the global-scale Atlantic meridional overturning circulation led to southward energy transport in the deep ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding precipitation changes over the Northern Hemisphere land monsoon (NHLM) region, where nearly 60% of the world's population resides, is fundamental for hydrological projections and adaptations against climate change. There are many studies on the hydrological cycle under various climate change scenarios. However, there is still a lack of research on the hydrological responses to CO2 removal as a global warming mitigation measure from a global perspective. This study demonstrates the distinguished hysteresis responses of mean NHLM precipitation based on idealized CO2 ramp‐up and ramp‐down experiments using the Community Earth System Model|Community Earth System model. The Indian and North African monsoons have time asymmetry in the mean precipitation changes under the CO2 increase and decrease pathways, while the North American monsoon does not. The zonal contrasting hysteresis is attributed to longitudinally contrasting changes in the intertropical convergence zone position driven by the inter‐hemispheric and land–sea thermal contrast. On the contrary, changes in extreme precipitation exhibit little temporal asymmetries over any of the NHLM domains. These results provide new insights into climate hysteresis of the hydrological cycle from regional and global perspectives. Plain Language Summary: Many studies have shown the effect of increasing CO2 on hydrological climate. However, insights into the possible hydrological climate responses if CO2 increases and then restores to the present‐day are still unclear and uncertain. To examine hydrological resilience, we show the regional Northern Hemisphere land monsoon precipitation responses to two CO2 pathways, that is, CO2 increase and decrease. This study reveals that the Indian and North African monsoons have a strong temporal asymmetry with respect to the mean precipitation changes under both pathways, while the North American monsoon does not. These contrasting zonal behaviors are closely related to changes in the local intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) over the Asian–African sector driven by interhemispheric temperature difference and land–sea contrast between the Eurasian continent and the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, the North American monsoon involves relatively symmetric behavior in time by both the local ITCZ over the eastern Pacific and atmospheric circulation over the North Atlantic. We also found that extreme rainfall displays little temporal asymmetries, except for the North American monsoon, because of its close association with temperature increase. Key Points: There is a contrasting eastern–western hemispheric monsoon response to changing CO2 pathwaysWe show the temporal asymmetries of Indian and North African summer monsoon precipitation to CO2 ramp‐up and ramp‐downThe North American monsoon involves relatively symmetric changes in the local intertropical convergence zone and surface pressure over North Atlantic [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrological cycle has a significant impact on human activities and ecosystems, so understanding its mechanisms with respect to a changing climate is essential. In particular, a more detailed understanding of hydrological cycle response to transient climate change is required for successful adaptation and mitigation policies. In this study, we exploit large ensemble model experiments using the Community Earth System Model version 1.2.2 (CESM1) in which CO2 concentrations increase steadily and then decrease along the same path. Our results show that precipitation changes in the CO2 increasing and decreasing phases are nearly symmetrical over land but asymmetric over oceans. After CO2 concentrations peak, the ocean continues to uptake heat from the atmosphere, which is a key process leading the hydrological cycle's contrasting response over land and ocean. The symmetrical hydrological cycle response over land involves a complex interplay between rapid responses to CO2 and slower responses to ensuing warming. Therefore, the surface energy constraints lead to the contrasting hydrological response over land and ocean to CO2 forcing that needs to be verified and considered in climate change mitigation and adaption actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A poleward shift of the Hadley cell (HC) edge in a warming climate, which contributes to the expansion of drought-prone subtropical regions, has been widely documented. The question addressed here is whether this shift is reversible with CO 2 removal. By conducting large-ensemble experiments where CO 2 concentrations are systematically increased and then decreased to the present-day level, we show that the poleward-shifted HC edge in a warming climate does not return to its present-day state when CO 2 concentrations are reduced. While the Southern Hemisphere HC edge remains poleward of its present-day state, the Northern Hemisphere HC edge ends up farther equatorward of its present-day state. Such hemispherically asymmetric HC edge changes are closely associated with the changes in vertical wind shear in the subtropical atmosphere, which result from the long adjustment time of the ocean response to CO 2 removal. Our findings suggest that CO 2 removal may not guarantee the recovery of the subtropical dryness associated with the HC changes.

Convective extreme El Niño (CEE) events, characterized by strong convective events in the eastern Pacific, are known to have a direct link to anomalous climate conditions worldwide, and it has been reported that CEE will occur more frequently under greenhouse warming. Here, using a set of CO 2 ramp-up and ramp-down ensemble experiments, we show that frequency and maximum intensity of CEE events increase further in the ramp-down period from the ramp-up period. These changes in CEE are associated with the southward shift of the intertropical convergence zone and intensified nonlinear rainfall response to sea surface temperature change in the ramp-down period. The increasing frequency of CEE has substantial impacts on regional abnormal events and contributed considerably to regional mean climate changes to the CO 2 forcings.

Understanding the regional hydrological response to varying CO 2 concentration is critical for cost-benefit analysis of mitigation and adaptation polices in the near future. To characterize summer monsoon rainfall change in East Asia in a changing CO 2 pathway, we used the Community Earth System Model (CESM) with 28 ensemble members in which the CO 2 concentration increases at a rate of 1% per year until its quadrupling peak, i.e., 1468 ppm (ramp-up period), followed by a decrease of 1% per year until the present-day climate conditions, i.e., 367 ppm (ramp-down period). Although the CO 2 concentration change is symmetric in time, the amount of summer rainfall anomaly in East Asia is increased 42% during a ramp-down period than that during a ramp-up period when the two periods of the same CO 2 concentration are compared. This asymmetrical rainfall response is mainly due to an enhanced El Niño-like warming pattern as well as its associated increase in the sea surface temperature in the western North Pacific during a ramp-down period. These sea surface temperature patterns enhance the atmospheric teleconnections and the local meridional circulations around East Asia, resulting in more rainfall over East Asia during a ramp-down period. This result implies that the removal of CO 2 does not guarantee the return of regional rainfall to the previous climate state with the same CO 2 concentration., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)