Scientists from around the world will meet in Denver, Colorado, in October for the World Climate Research Programme’s Open Science Conference. The goal: To assess the current state of knowledge on climate variability and change, identify the most urgent scientific issues and research challenges, and ascertain how the WCRP can best facilitate research and develop partnerships critical for progress.
The WCRP confab, from Oct. 24-28, will involve climate scientists from more than 50 countries, to discuss a unique synthesis of climate research findings.
“A better understanding of the behavior of the climate system and its interactions with other Earth system components is critical to predict its future evolution, reduce vulnerability to high impact weather and climate events, and sustain life,” conference organizers say. “This need is perhaps greater than ever before given that humans have emerged as the dominant agent of future change.”
For this Open Science Conference, the WCRP is assembling its entire research community for the first time ever, and also involving other key international research programs.
The WCRP works to facilitate analysis and prediction of Earth system variability and change for use in an increasing range of practical applications of direct relevance, benefit and value to society. The program’s two main objectives are to determine the predictability of climate and the effect of human activities on climate.
WCRP is sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization, the International Council for Science and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
For more information, see the WCRP 2011 conference web site.