Over 130 members of CLIVAR panels and guests gathered in The Hague this week (14-19 July) for the first-ever Pan-CLIVAR meeting.  The overall aims of the pan-CLIVAR meeting were to

• Facilitate internal coordination between CLIVAR activities.
• Develop ideas and input for new CLIVAR science and implementation plans.
• Interact with GEWEX and help coordinate joint WCRP activities.

CLIVAR panels met individually and in pairs during the first two days; on Wednesday and Thursday CLIVAR held plenary and breakout sessions to discuss the evolving Research Foci plans and strategies for CLIVAR's contributions to ocean observations and climate modeling, and to WCRP’s Grand Challenges.  Discussions focused on cross-panel interactions and how panels could best contribute to advancing the Research Foci.  Brief summaries of these discussions will be posted on the CLIVAR website shortly.  Monday-Thursday the GEWEX Conference “Trending Now: Water” was taking place simultaneously at the same location, which allowed for some cross-project interaction, and on Friday GEWEX and CLIVAR held a joint plenary to discuss topics of particular interest to both projects, ranging from monsoons to extremes to air-sea fluxes.  Pan-CLIVAR participants agreed that the meeting had been a great success, and the SSG plans to hold another one in a few year's time.

Based on the CLIVAR panels' activities and plans, the developing plans for the Research Foci, and additional input from the pan-CLIVAR meeting, a draft science plan will be put together for consideration by the SSG at its next meeting in November, and then circulated to members of the community for further input.  It is intended that the final document will serve as the scientific basis for the strategic implementation of the new CLIVAR for the next 5 to 10 years.