IN: WCRP Annual Report 2005-2006
(2006) [PDF, 0.6 MB]

The WCRP was established over 25 years ago (in 1980), under the joint sponsorship of the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) , and, since 1993, has also been sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO.

The main objectives, set for the WCRP at its inception and still valid today, are to determine the predictability of climate and to determine the effect of human activities on climate.

Since 1980, the WCRP has made enormous contributions to advancing climate science (25th Anniversary Brochure). As a result of WCRP efforts, it is now possible for climate scientists to monitor, simulate and project global climate with unprecedented accuracy so that climate information can be used for governance, in decision-making and in support of a wide range of practical end-user applications (Strategic Plan Brochure).

In 2005, after 25 years of serving science and society, the WCRP, in collaboration with the broader scientific community, developed and launched the WCRP Strategy Framework 2005-2015. Implementing this strategy will ensure that WCRP continues to work efficiently and effectively towards strengthening our knowledge and increasing our capabilities with regard to climate variability and change.