Apr 8 2009
Top international climate scientists are meeting this week at the University of Maryland to lay the groundwork for improving regionalized climate change forecasts and for developing the advanced computing models needed to make these projections, says the chair and host, UM’s Antonio Busalacchi.
The Joint Scientific Committee of the World Climate Research Programme – sponsored by the United Nations and other international organizations – is chaired by UM’s Busalacchi. It’s the first time in a decade that a U.S. scientist has headed the group. They’re meeting at M-Square, UM’s research park. It’s also the first time the group has met in Maryland.
The World Climate Research Programme has two overarching objectives: to determine the predictability of climate as well as the effect of human activities on climate, Busalacchi adds. Its Joint Scientific Committee meets annually to develop a research agenda for the coming decade.
“In the long run, our goal is to develop projects that will meet social needs and give decision-makers the kind of tailored information that will help them devise more effective adaptation strategies,” Busalacchi says. “At this stage, we need to develop better tools that will make our climate change predictions, assessments and research more useful.”
Though the working sessions are closed to the public and media, principal researchers from several countries will be available to the media for interviews and informal background on Wednesday evening April 8 and Thursday afternoon, April 9.
The meeting is hosted this year by the University of Maryland-based Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC), and various federal agencies (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; NASA; National Science Foundation; and the Department of Energy).