Abstract for: The Paris Climate Agreement: Do models matter? What must we now do?

In December 2015 nearly 200 nations came together in Paris and approved a historic agreement designed to limit global warming to “well below 2°C... and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C” relative to preindustrial temperatures. Was the agreement a success or just another weak diplomatic pronouncement with little real-world impact? What was the role of scientific analysis and models in the Paris process and agreement? Do models matter, or is it entirely a matter of politics? I discuss the role of Climate Interactive in the policy process, including our work with policymakers, with other scientific and modeling groups, with the media and with public outreach and education. More important, what are we now called upon to do, as scientists and modelers, and as citizens?