About CLIMAS

Background

CLIMAS brings together researchers who study the processes and effects of climate on the Southwest region with individuals and organizations who need climate information to make informed decisions. The project, located within the Institute for the Study of Planet Earth, is one of several initiatives that have been funded as pilot projects by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Global Programs.

CLIMAS hosts regular events where climate research from the physical and social sciences is presented and discussed, and where members of the private, public, nonprofit, and academic communities may exchange information and ideas.

CLIMAS also produces a variety of publications about climate research and trends, sponsors climate impacts research, and serves as a hub for gathering and disseminating information on the impacts of climate change and climate variability on the Southwest. This web site provides links to online information maintained by others and serves as a hub for others to link into climate information about the Southwest.

Our Mission

CLIMAS, the Climate Assessment Project for the Southwest, was established in 1998 with seed funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess climate variability and longer-term climate change in terms of impacts on human and natural systems in the Southwest. The project's mission is to improve the ability of the region to respond sufficiently and appropriately to climatic events and climate changes.

CLIMAS aims to foster participatory, iterative research involving researchers, decision makers, resource users, educators, and others who need more and better information about climate and its impacts. In support of these efforts, the project fosters research on the nature, causes, and consequences of climate change and variability in the Southwestern United States and supports efforts to improve climate forecasting in the region.

CLIMAS is part of a larger federal government initiative to develop better-quality and more detailed climate assessments at the regional level. To this end, the project, which is housed within the Institute for the Study of Planet Earth at the University of Arizona, supports interdisciplinary research on past, current, and future climates in the region and provides a focal point for identifying and serving the information needs of stakeholders at the local, state, national, and international levels.

Affiliated Organizations

The interdisciplinary nature of the project also is reflected in the wide range of affiliated entities:

UA Department of Hydrology and Water Resources

UA Latin American Area Center

Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy

Office of Arid Lands Studies

UA Department of Geography and Regional Development

Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research

Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology

Atmospheric Sciences Department

Arizona State Museum

National Weather Service Tucson

Other NOAA Integrated Assessments

Pacific Northwest Climate Impacts Group

California Applications Program

NOAA-CIRES Western Water Assessment

NOAA Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA)

New England Integrated Assessment

Florida Consortium for the Regional Assessment of Climate Variability