Climate Central

Climate Central
Name	Climate Central
Formation	2008
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Princeton, New Jersey
Region served	United States; global
Leader title	President
Leader name	Heidi Cullen

Climate Central is an independent nonprofit organization that conducts scientific research on climate change and communicates findings to the public, media, and policymakers. The organization works at the intersection of atmospheric science, sea-level rise research, data visualization, and journalism, often partnering with academic institutions, news outlets, and civic groups to translate peer-reviewed studies into accessible maps, graphics, and reports. Climate Central's output is frequently used by broadcasters, newspapers, municipal planners, and non-governmental organizations engaged in climate adaptation and mitigation.

History

Climate Central was founded in 2008 by a group of scientists and journalists with expertise drawn from institutions such as Princeton University, Columbia University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and NASA. Early collaborators included researchers affiliated with Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Rutgers University, and Harvard University. The organization grew through partnerships with media organizations like The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, BBC News, and The Guardian. Climate Central has participated in scientific convenings such as meetings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and workshops hosted by the American Geophysical Union and American Meteorological Society. Its staff have histories at institutions including Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Yale University.

Mission and Activities

Climate Central's mission emphasizes clear communication of climate science to inform public debate and decision-making, aligning with goals championed by actors like United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and initiatives such as the Paris Agreement. The organization produces climate data analyses intended to support urban planners from municipalities like New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco and to inform policy discussions in bodies including the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. It collaborates with foundations such as the Rockefeller Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and with non-governmental actors like World Resources Institute and Union of Concerned Scientists. Climate Central also engages with professional societies including the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society.

Research and Publications

Climate Central publishes reports, peer-reviewed studies, and issue briefs drawing on methods used in research at centers like NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Its research topics include sea-level rise projections building on work from USGS, ice-sheet dynamics informed by Paleoclimatology studies, and extreme heat analysis comparable to studies from Columbia University's Earth Institute. Publications have been cited in science outlets such as Nature Climate Change, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Science Advances, Geophysical Research Letters, and in policy reports from organizations like IPCC and World Bank. Reports examine regional impacts for regions including the Gulf Coast (United States), Chesapeake Bay, and South Florida, and are used by agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state coastal commissions.

Tools and Projects

Climate Central develops interactive tools and visualizations used by the media and planners. Notable projects have included sea-level rise mapping for coastal locations like New York City, Miami Beach, San Francisco Bay, and Galveston, Texas, and extreme temperature tracking for cities such as Phoenix, Arizona, Houston, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois. Tools are frequently integrated with platforms maintained by partners including ESRI, Google, Microsoft, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and OpenStreetMap. The organization has collaborated on pilot projects with municipal programs like NYC Mayor's Office of Climate Resiliency and regional initiatives such as the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact. Climate Central's data products have supported adaptation planning in jurisdictions including California Coastal Commission and Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Funding and Governance

Climate Central is governed by a board of directors and advisory councils that have included leaders from academic institutions, media organizations, and foundations such as Columbia University, Princeton University, The Rockefeller Foundation, and MacArthur Foundation. Funding sources have comprised philanthropic grants, foundation awards, media partnerships, and donations from individuals and institutions including Schmidt Family Foundation and other philanthropies active in climate philanthropy. The organization follows nonprofit governance practices similar to peers such as Union of Concerned Scientists and Environmental Defense Fund and participates in accountability frameworks used by philanthropic funders and oversight bodies like GuideStar and Charity Navigator.

Reception and Impact

Climate Central's work has been widely cited in journalism by outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, BBC News, and The Guardian and utilized in television reporting by networks such as CNN, MSNBC, NBC News, and CBS News. Academic researchers at institutions such as University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, Harvard University, and Yale University have incorporated Climate Central data into studies on sea-level rise, urban heat, and climate communication. The organization's maps and visualizations have influenced local planning decisions in cities such as New York City, Miami, and Boston, Massachusetts and have been cited in adaptation plans by agencies like FEMA and regional planning commissions. Critiques of the organization have come from commentators and stakeholders in debates over risk communication and policy prioritization in venues including The Wall Street Journal and policy forums hosted by think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and Brookings Institution.

Category:Environmental organizations based in the United States