CLIVAR Community Teleconference held on 25th January

A CLIVAR Community Teleconference was organised on 25th January 2021, with the participation of representatives from the CLIVAR Scientific Steering Group (SSG), Panels and Research Foci, the WCRP Grand Challenge on Regional Sea Level Change and Coastal Impacts (SL GC) and the ICPO. The main focus of the meeting was to discuss the outcomes from the 41b Session of WCRP Joint Steering Committee (JSC), and to prepare the next SSG meeting, which is scheduled from 8th to 11th March 2021. Participants also discussed on how CLIVAR panels/RF can participate/adapt to the WCRP implementation plan. Major uptakes from the meeting are summarized below:

  • Science plans for the WCRP Lighthouse Activities (LHAs) are being developed, with more focused scope; Mechanisms to enhance the communication between WCRP core projects and LHAs are being explored (e.g. WCRP Leadership Group); WCRP Climate Research Forum (CRF) are being prepared by regions, with the aim of connecting less represented nations (e.g. developing communities in the Global South) to the WCRP LHAs;
  • Travels supported by WCRP will be reduced, all panel/RF business meeting are to be organised online. In-person meeting will only be supported when having the component of early career scientist and networking, and capacity building.
  • The 26th Session of CLIVAR Scientific Steering Group (SSG-26) meeting will be organised from 8th to 11th March 2021. All sessions will be recorded and shared. Presentations from panels/RF are to be provided beforehand, and the meeting will focus on discussing the future plan and issues for each panel/RF.
  • 2021 Panel membership proposals are being discussed by SSG through emails and decision will be made soon. 
  • CLIVAR will continue its regular business while maintaining good communication with WCRP LHAs and new ‘homes’. The linkage to the ‘model-data home’ and ideas for joint panels/activities are to be further clarified. Communication between CLIVAR (i.e. GSOP and OMDP) with other WCRP elements (e.g. WGNE, etc.) to be integrated into this new ‘home’ is to be strengthened in a more organized and coordinated way. Lessons learnt, experience gained and connections made by the Sea Level Grand Challenge should be maintained and incorporated well into the new WCRP structure.

Meanwhile, the WCRP-CLIVAR Workshop on Climate Interactions among the Tropical Basins will be organised virtually in February 2021, with almost 200 people registered. This will be the 1st big online event organised by ICPO, and the experience and lessons learned from organising this event can be applied to future CLIVAR online events organisation.