What is CLIVAR?

CLIVAR (Climate and Ocean: Variability, Predictability and Change) is one of the six core projects of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). CLIVAR’s mission is to understand the dynamics, the interaction, and the predictability of the climate system with emphasis on ocean-atmosphere interactions.

International CLIVAR is a network of scientists and activities around the world that contribute to meeting the CLIVAR objectives. A subset of these scientists are members, on a rotating basis, of committees that facilitate coordination and cooperation amongst national and multinational efforts. The CLIVAR Scientific Steering Group (SSG) is appointed by the WCRP Joint Scientific Committee. The SSG provides overall guidance for CLIVAR activities, in concert with the goals of the WCRP, and establishes CLIVAR Panels, Research Foci and Working Groups and their terms of reference to ensure that the key objectives of the programme are met.

The CLIVAR legacy includes the implementation and development of major multinational and multi-platform observing networks in all the ocean basins, the development of climate models with realistic ocean components and the development of ocean reanalyses.

CLIVAR panels, research foci, working groups and task teams meet on regular basis to discuss and address scientific issues set out in CLIVAR science plan and implementation strategy. Major current challenges currently addressed by CLIVAR include the impact of data loss in Indian Ocean observing system during the global pandemic, tropical Pacific sea surface temperature pattern formation, and atmospheric teleconnection in a warming climate, among many others. The Pacific Region Panel has recently formed a working group on biogeochemical-physical interactions. CLIVAR is currently calling for applications for new Research Foci.