Climate Research and Development

What We Do

We provide essential information and tools for decision-makers to understand how and why climate has changed and what changes might occur in the future. Our climate research and development concentrates on reference observations, climate analysis, and assessment of regional climate impacts.

Why It Is Important

Our Climate Research and Development products and services are used by national and international scientists and decision-makers to understand climate trends and the need for mitigating and adapting to climate change. Our research has contributed to a number of climate change assessments, including the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.S Global Change Research Program, and international assessments of stratospheric ozone depletion.

We also contribute to models that can be used to project weather patterns that would be associated with climate change. For instance, models may show how water availability, air quality, and severe weather would be affected by climate change, information that regional managers need to make informed decisions.

For More Information:

• Climate Variability and Change Analysis
• Climate Reference Network
• Climate Research and Development Summary Handout , (, 1.35 MB)
• Climate Strategic Plan 2008, (, 208 KB)