CLIVAR Science

CLIVAR Science Overview

CLIVAR is an international research programme investigating climate variability and predictability on time-scales from months to decades and the response of the climate system to anthropogenic forcing. CLIVAR, as one of the major components of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), started in 1998 and has a lifetime of 15 years.

CLIVAR focuses on the role of the coupled ocean and atmosphere within the overall climate system, with emphasis on variability, especially within the oceans, on seasonal to centennial time scales.

CLIVAR intends to explore predictability and how to improve predictions of climate variability and climate change using existing, re-analysed, and new global observations, enhanced coupled ocean-atmosphere-land-ice models, and paleoclimate records.

CLIVAR will promote the development of skilful regional and global predictive models that will enable a more accurate detection of anthropogenic modification of natural climate.

CLIVAR strongly supports the design and implementation of global ocean and atmosphere observing systems for long-term climate research and will specifically address the variability of regional coupled ocean-atmosphere systems such as monsoons in relation to global patterns such as ENSO.

CLIVAR is undoubtedly the biggest and most diverse project yet undertaken by the World Climate Research Programme.

Global Warming in a Chaotic Climate - A Simple Conceptual Model

Our climate is chaotic. As a result, the internal variations of climate are irregular and weather patterns never repeat themselves exactly. Two animations [by Tim Palmer and Rob Hine (ECMWF)] showing the familiar "Executive Decision Maker" - a metal pendulum swinging over four magnets - help to illustrate a number of climate issues which have caused conceptual difficulties from time to time.

Download the CLIVAR overview brochure here

Download the CLIVAR summary flyers: