The scope of the research conducted under this cooperative agreement requires the integration of the necessary expertise required to tackle multidisciplinary, multifaceted problems involving the…

This $10,982,144.66 cooperative agreement was awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York (Columbia University) to support research related to the observation and modeling of the Earth's climate system. The research covers climate variability, long-term climate change, and the impacts of climate change, with a focus on advancing the study of climate sensitivity to natural and anthropogenic forcings. Columbia University researchers at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the Center for Climate Systems Research (GISS/CCSR) conduct this work, which includes contributions to national and international climate assessments, research on climate impacts and adaptation strategies, and developing actionable information to help the public understand and prepare for climate-related risks. This agreement does not have a set-aside designation.

The scope of the research conducted under this cooperative agreement requires the integration of the necessary expertise required to tackle multidisciplinary, multifaceted problems involving the observation and modeling of the earth's climate system, including climate variability, long-term climate change, and the impacts of climate change. The collaboration between scientists at the goddard institute for space studies and the center for climate systems research (giss/ccsr) fulfills this scope in large part through the development and application of complex computational earth system models. Ccsr personnel employ observations and simulation results to advance the study of climate sensitivity to both natural and anthropogenic forcings. They contribute to national and international assessments, providing an improved understanding of the physical basis of climate change, as well as research into the area of climate impacts as they relate to societal vulnerabilities, future adaptation strategies, and mitigation potential. Giss/ccsr was established with the objective of providing an enhanced understanding of the earth's climate sensitivity, climate variability, as well as the forcing and feedback mechanisms that control them. However, the center's objectives also include research on the types of climate-related changes that societies will face during the coming decades, to help determine the severity of the impacts across diverse sectors such as agriculture, public health, and transportation infrastructure. In addition to basic research, giss/ccsr scientists work interactively with stakeholders to generate actionable information that will help the public become more aware of climate-related risks, become more resilient to the impacts of future climate-related problems, and to increase the nation's capacity to seize opportunities that could be presented if environmental changes can be rendered more predictable.