The U.S. contribution to

Climate Variability and Predictability

U.S. CLIVAR Reorganization Plans

U.S. CLIVAR has identified as our main objective improved predictive capability to leave as a legacy. Now, half way through CLIVAR's lifetime, we must consider how best to achieve this goal. Achieving this goal requires U.S. CLIVAR to successfully engage the different Federal agencies that fund climate research and to be responsive to their needs and missions. U.S. CLIVAR must continue with great strength in basic research. However, at the same time U.S. CLIVAR must address the need to use what is learned to improve prediction and to facilitate the transition of that knowledge.

A revised framework for the US CLIVAR organization is being implemented. This reorganization will allow US CLIVAR to:

• carefully plan, implement, and coordinate activities that are more responsive to research agency and US Climate Change Science Program strategic objectives,
• stimulate a balanced climate research agenda that includes improving our understanding, prediction capabilities, and linkages to users of climate information,
• engage the wider scientific community in pursuit of CLIVAR objectives
  

The new three-tier structure (see figure below) consists of an overarching U.S. CLIVAR Committee that will steer the U.S. CLIVAR research enterprise, three new Panels (committees) to guide and implement the program in the broad functional goals of predictability/prediction; process and model improvement, and phenomena/observations/synthesis. The third tier consists limited term Working Groups that will be on the front lines of coordinating and implementing focused components of the climate variability/predictability research enterprise. The Panels will develop and coordinate research plans and activities, and provide input to agency programs. In response to increased demands on research programs to document progress, these Panels will also be asked to consider how best to describe their plans and assess achievement using measurable performance metrics (e.g. milestones).

The draft Terms of Reference for the new Panels are available online by clicking on the link below.

• Predictability, Predictions and Applications Interface panel
• Phenomenology, Observations and Synthesis panel
• Process Studies and Model Improvement panel

In transitioning from a basin-centric framework to one arranged around broad functional goals of U.S. CLIVAR, we are working to avoid delaying project plans and proposals already being considered; making the transition process and the functioning of the new organization transparent to the community, and eliminating duplication of effort. Moreover, we recognize strong linkages to the international CLIVAR regional implementation panels must continue. Lastly, we are planning annual collective meetings to facilitate communication between the U.S. Panels, Working Groups, and others interested in the U.S. CLIVAR research program. The first such annual "Summit" meeting of all the new Panels and U.S. CLIVAR Committee is scheduled for mid-August.

Community Input
We want to engage community contributions towards CLIVAR planning and implementation. As a first step, we request your feedback on the scope of our efforts and particularly scientific areas where the new Panels and Working Groups should focus their energies, e.g. what are the topical areas of greatest potential payoff that could be realized with more coordination and focus? Such feedback should be submitted through this link. All input will be provided to the new U.S. CLIVAR committees in advance of the August Summit.

Proposed Panels

PANEL 1

PANEL 2

PANEL 3