February 2021

Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) Literature Database, v1, 2014-2019


PURPOSE

To provide a literature database tracking the use of a global scenarios framework consisting of Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), and Shared Policy Assumptions (SPAs), for climate, socioeconomic, environmental, and other related research.


DESCRIPTION

The Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) Literature Database, v1, 2014-2019 consists of biographic information, abstracts, and analysis of 1,360 articles published from 2014 to 2019 that used the SSPs. The database was generated from a Google Scholar search, followed by a manual examination of the results for papers that made substantial use of the SSPs. Each paper was then coded along a number of different dimensions, including categories of types of papers or analysis, number of subcategories for SSP Applications and SSP Extensions, particular Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) used, particular Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) used, and particular SSP-RCP combinations used. Over the past ten years, the climate change research community developed a scenario framework combining alternative futures of climate and society to facilitate integrated research and consistent assessment to inform policy. This framework consists of Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), and Shared Policy Assumptions (SPAs), which together describe alternative visions of how society and climate may evolve over the coming decades, while providing a framework for combining these pathways in integrated studies. The tracking of the use of this framework in the literature allows for assessment of how it is being used, whether it is achieving its original goals, and what improvements to the framework would benefit future research.


ACCESSING THE DATA

The data may be downloaded at https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/ssp-ssp-literature-db-v1/data-download


DATA FORMAT

This data archive contains worksheets in Microsoft Excel Workbook format.

The data files are compressed zipfiles. Downloaded files need to be uncompressed in a single folder using either WinZip (Windows file compression utility) or similar application. Users should expect an increase in the size of downloaded data after decompression. 


DATA VALUES

Data values are texts and numerical values in the spreadsheets.


SPATIAL EXTENT

Global.


DISCLAIMER

CIESIN follows procedures designed to ensure that data disseminated by CIESIN are of reasonable quality. If, despite these procedures, users encounter apparent errors or misstatements in the data, they should contact SEDAC User Services at ciesin.info@ciesin.columbia.edu. Neither CIESIN nor NASA verifies or guarantees the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any data provided. CIESIN provides this data without warranty of any kind whatsoever, either expressed or implied. CIESIN shall not be liable for incidental, consequential, or special damages arising out of the use of any data provided by CIESIN.


USE CONSTRAINTS

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Users are free to use, copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt the work for commercial and non-commercial purposes, without restriction, as long as clear attribution of the source is provided.


RECOMMENDED CITATION(S)

Data Set:

Green, C., D. Carlisle, B. C. O'Neill, B. J. van Ruijven, C. Boyer, and K. Ebi. 2021. Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) Literature Database, v1, 2014-2019. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). https://doi.org/10.7927/hn96-9703. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR.

Scientific Publication:

O'Neill, B. C., T. R. Carter, K. Ebi, P. A. Harrison, E. Kemp-Benedict, K. Kok, E. Kriegler, B. L. Preston, K. Riahi, J. Sillmann, B. J. van Ruijven, D. van Vuuren, D. Carlisle, C. Conde, J. Fuglestvedt, C. Green, T. Hasegawa, J. Leininger, S. Monteith, and R. Pichs-Madruga. 2020. Achievements and Needs for the Climate Change Scenario Framework. Nature Climate Change 10:1074-1084. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00952-0.