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| Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) |
| Formation | 2004 |
| Type | Scientific Programme |
| Parent organization | World Climate Research Programme |
| Headquarters | Geneva |
Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) is an international scientific programme focused on understanding cryospheric processes and their interactions with the atmosphere, oceans, biosphere, and human systems. It advances observational, modelling, and theoretical studies of ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice, snow cover, permafrost, and related feedbacks, informing assessments and decisions across polar, alpine, and midlatitude regions. CliC coordinates research that connects to global initiatives and national agencies to improve predictions of sea level, hydrology, and climate change impacts.
CliC operates within the World Climate Research Programme and aligns with activities of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme, World Meteorological Organization, and International Arctic Science Committee. It engages scientists from institutions such as the British Antarctic Survey, Alfred Wegener Institute, National Snow and Ice Data Center, Norwegian Polar Institute, and Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory. CliC’s remit includes interactions with programmes like the Global Climate Observing System, Global Cryosphere Watch, International Council for Science, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, and International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme. Major research linkages extend to projects supported by funding bodies including the European Commission, National Science Foundation (United States), Natural Environment Research Council, Australian Antarctic Division, and Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.
CliC was established under the auspices of the World Climate Research Programme following recommendations from meetings involving representatives of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, International Arctic Science Committee, and various national polar programs such as United States Antarctic Program and Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. Its governance includes an international steering group drawing members from organizations like the International Hydrological Programme and academic institutions including University of Cambridge, University of Bergen, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Stockholm University, and University of Colorado Boulder. Key historical interactions have included coordination with assessment bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and participation in major field campaigns linked to expeditions like International Polar Year, Operation IceBridge, and collaborations with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and European Space Agency.
CliC prioritizes themes addressing cryosphere–climate linkages: ice sheet dynamics involving the Antarctic Treaty System and Greenland Ice Sheet; glacier mass balance studies linked to locations like Himalayas, Andes, and Alps; sea ice processes in regions exemplified by the Arctic Ocean and Southern Ocean; snow cover impacts across areas such as Siberia, Canadian Rockies, and Scandinavia; and permafrost thaw in zones including Yamal Peninsula, Alaskan North Slope, and Tibetan Plateau. Research connects to modelling systems like the Community Earth System Model, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Met Office Unified Model, NICAM, and GFDL models, and to observational platforms including CryoSat, ICESat, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, MODIS, SMAP, and GRACE. Priority topics include sea-level rise assessments linked to the Paris Agreement, cryosphere contributions to extreme events such as those documented in NOAA reports and interactions with oceanographic studies tied to Argo and Global Ocean Observing System.
CliC coordinates projects and programs such as coordinated field campaigns similar to IPY activities, synthesis initiatives parallel to the Global Carbon Project, and thematic working groups modelled after collaborations by the International Arctic Social Sciences Association and Polar Research Board. It has contributed to assessment syntheses used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and engaged in data efforts akin to the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space initiative, partnerships with satellite missions like ICESat-2 and CryoSat-2, and support for regional programs such as Himalayan Climate Initiative and Alaska Climate Science Center. CliC-facilitated efforts also mirror community campaigns like Sea Ice Prediction Network and connect to observational networks such as the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost.
CliC’s collaborations span multilateral, national, and academic partners including the European Space Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Canadian Space Agency, Scott Polar Research Institute, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Stockholm Environment Institute, International Arctic Science Committee, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, International Glaciological Society, International Permafrost Association, World Glacier Monitoring Service, International Union for Quaternary Research, and regional bodies such as the Arctic Council and Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. It liaises with science assessment and policy actors like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to ensure research uptake.
CliC outputs inform assessments and policy processes conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Arctic Council, European Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, and national adaptation planning such as in Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Chile, and New Zealand. Its science underpins reports and guidance used by agencies including the World Meteorological Organization and contributes to international agreements like elements of the Paris Agreement implementation and adaptation dialogues hosted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
CliC supports and promotes datasets and tools hosted by entities including the National Snow and Ice Data Center, British Antarctic Survey, European Space Agency, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NOAA, Copernicus, PANGEA (data repository), International Polar Year Data and Information Service, Global Cryosphere Watch, and modelling frameworks like the Community Earth System Model, ESMValTool, and regional downscaling systems used by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and national agencies. Infrastructure linkages include research stations such as Princess Elisabeth Antarctica, Ny-Ålesund Research Station, McMurdo Station, Barrow (Utqiaġvik) Field Station, and observatories like Barrow Atmospheric Baseline Observatory, while computational support involves supercomputing centers like National Center for Atmospheric Research, Met Office Hadley Centre, and NERSC.
Category:Climate research organizations