The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) facilitates environmental research about climate change. It currently has offices in Norway, China, India, Germany, Sweden, South Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom. ¹

The organization is fiscally sponsored by three organizations: the World Meteorological Organization, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and the International Science Council. WCRP also notes that, aside from its fiscal sponsors, it receives “voluntary contributions” from certain countries. ²

Background

The World Climate Research Programme is an international non-profit environmentalist organization that focuses on facilitating research on environmental issues. The organization has six “core projects” that include providing research on the Earth’s climate; cryosphere; ocean variability, predictability, and change; global energy and water exchanges; regional climate information; and stratosphere processes. ³

WCRP was created in 1979 after new research projects on human impact on the environment became more prevalent in the early 1970s. Research on the subject was initially a program of the Global Atmospheric Research Programme (GARP) which was created by the World Meteorological Organization and the International Council for Science (originally ICSU, ISC since 2018). ⁴

The Joint Organizing Committee of Global Atmospheric Research Programme organized two “Climate Physics and Modelling” conferences in 1974. Following the conference, the creation of a World Climate Programme was proposed to WMO, ICSU, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The World Climate Research Programme was created following the first World Climate Conference organized by WMO in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1979. ⁵

During the conference in Geneva, “350 specialists from 53 different countries” gathered to discuss the impact humans have on the environment. The conference resulted in a “declaration” that pushed for international action to improve scientific knowledge of the environment, and to use that knowledge to “predict and prevent possible human-induced climate change that could affect the well-being of humanity.” ⁶

Funding

WCRP also notes that, aside from its fiscal sponsors, it receives “voluntary contributions” from certain countries. ⁷

WCRP also acknowledges financial support from nations and institutions that host its international offices and its Secretariat. According to the acknowledgments, WCRP’s Secretariat resides in Geneva, Switzerland, and the organization has offices in Norway, China, India, Germany, Sweden, South Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom. ⁸

Partnerships

World Climate Research Programme lists various partner organizations on its website. Each of the partner organizations contributes “services, information, solutions and/or funds into the global WCRP enterprise.” ⁹

WCRP “regularly informs” the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), “participates in many” activities held by the World Meteorological Organization, works closely with the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP), the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), and Future Earth. WCRP is also a co-sponsor of the SysTem for Analysis, Research, and Training (START). ¹⁰

The World Climate Research Programme has scientific partnerships with multiple organizations. WCRP entered into a Scientific Partnership Agreement with Past Global Changes (PAGES) in April 2015. The organization also entered into a separate Scientific Partnership Agreement with the Global Carbon Project in April 2017. ¹¹

WCRP also co-sponsors multiple initiatives including the Atmospheric Observation Panel for Climate, Ocean Observations Panel for Climate, Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate, START, Young Earth System Scientists, Year of the Maritime Continent, and Year of Polar Prediction. ¹²

1. ^[1] “Sponsors and Contributors.” Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/sponsors.
2. “Sponsors and Contributors.” Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/sponsors.
3. “World Climate Research Programme Core Projects.” Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/core-projects.
4. “The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) celebrates its 40th anniversary.” World Climate Research Programme. Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/documents/2019/The%20World%20Climate%20Research%20Programme%20(WCRP)%20celebrates%20its%2040th%20anniversary.pdf.
5. “The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) celebrates its 40th anniversary.” World Climate Research Programme. Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/documents/2019/The%20World%20Climate%20Research%20Programme%20(WCRP)%20celebrates%20its%2040th%20anniversary.pdf.
6. “The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) celebrates its 40th anniversary.” World Climate Research Programme. Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/documents/2019/The%20World%20Climate%20Research%20Programme%20(WCRP)%20celebrates%20its%2040th%20anniversary.pdf.
7. “Sponsors and Contributors.” Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/sponsors.
8. “Sponsors and Contributors.” Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/sponsors.
9. “Partners.” Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/about-wcrp/about-partners.
10. “Partners.” Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/about-wcrp/about-partners.
11. “Partners.” Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/about-wcrp/about-partners.
12. “WCRP co-sponsored and endorsed activities.” Accessed October 23, 2022. https://www.wcrp-climate.org/wcrp-cosponsored-and-endorsed-activities.