In response to the rapid pace of scientific advances and recognizing the need for the project to be flexible and responsive to new ideas and challenges, CLIVAR has developed the concept of Research Foci (RF). These are focused research activities on topics (1) with high potential for significant progress in a 3-5 year time-scale, and (2) that would benefit from enhanced international coordination. RF have proven to be effective means to initiate new research through a bottom-up-process and invigorate progress in areas that are of high priority to the climate research community, thereby fostering cross-panel, pan-WCRP community collaboration, while providing opportunities to entrain new scientists into CLIVAR.