WCRP Strategic Plan

The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) is dedicated to international climate research. Our community has worked and debated over all aspects of climate science, resulting in the conclusion that yes, human activities are changing our climate and yes, although it will never be perfect, we can do a lot to predict how climate will change in the future. Now, as we near our 40th anniversary, society is no longer just talking about climate change, we are noticeably experiencing it. Society needs clear, concise and robust climate information to support wise adaptation and mitigation choices, to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that will arise in our changing world.

The WCRP Strategic Plan 2019-2029 takes an integrated approach to climate research. We recognize that to successfully meet the needs of society there must be fundamental climate research and also research that is co-designed to meet the needs of policy and decision makers. An Earth System’s approach is central, with an enhanced focus on the availability of climate information across time scales of days to a century and spatial scales from local to global. It is imperative that we deliver well-coordinated field programs, innovative observing systems, state of the art analysis and prediction capabilities, advanced computational infrastructure and an open and fully inclusive platform for research design and information sharing. Strong partnerships across research communities, agencies, and other organizations are fundamental in the cost-effective use of research resources and in improving the usability and use of climate information.

If you have not read the WCRP Strategic Plan yet, please take the time to do so (link below). It is a short, 9-page document that sets out the vision, mission, and overarching objectives of the Programme as well as the bedrock science, termed 'emphases', and tools and capabilities, termed 'imperatives', necessary to achieve these goals. Please note that the WCRP Strategic Plan addresses long-term, high-level goals. The possible new structure of WCRP and other detailed organizational issues are still under discussion and will be outlined in the WCRP Implementation Plan.

You can download the WCRP Strategic Plan and enter your comments online on the consultation webpage. Public consultation on the WCRP Strategic Plan will close on 31 August 2018. We thank you in advance for your comments.