km-scale Global Modelling Summit 2026

WarmWorld and related projects from across Europe and the world are organizing this summit to take stock of the rapid and exciting scientific and technical developments associated with the development of the next generation km-scale global models.

The km-Scale Global Modelling Summit 2026 is paring with a sister meeting with increased focus on turbulence representations in Storm-Resolving Earth System Models (SR-ESMs) - the ParaChute Conference taking place in Reading, UK, on 13-17 July 2026.

Timeline

• March 31, 2026 - deadline for abstract submission
• April 10, 2026 - confirmation deadline and invoicing
• May 15, 2026 - summit program published
• June 20, 2026 - deadline for payments
• July 20-24, 2026 - meet-up in Hamburg!

Conference contributions

Conference contributions are solicited on the following and related topics:

• Technical challenges: Machines, future technologies, programming paradigms, data structures, precision, interoperability of data and models, technical benchmarking

• AI on top and all around: On Top: emulation and generative scenarios; All around: compression, data management, fuzzy analysis, agents

• km-scale processes and their impact on the Earth system: Emergent phenomena, scientific benchmarking, scientific opportunities at hm scales, model and observational hierarchies

• km-scale processes and their impact on human systems: Extremes, complex terrain, energy infrastructure

• Symbiosis between simulation and observations: Observing and representing the coupled system at km-scales, future satellite and other ocean/atmosphere observing systems.

Topical contributions will allow us to answer questions such as: What is our present capability to represent the Earth system using km-scale models, and what have we learned from it? How can we improve data handling? How can we accelerate model performance? What new programming paradigms are emerging to help us exploit new computational technologies? How can we better coordinate data access and numerical experimentation internationally? What is the path to hm-scale simulations? What benefit can be expected from new methods for treating still unresolved proesses related to cloud-microphysical processes, turbulence, or treatments of the land surface? How can research support applications such as Destination Earth, and how does this all link to the expanding universe of machine learing?

A new research programme

Building on this assessment, the summit will address these and many more questions to outline a research programme for the coming years, and help build the community to carry it forth.