Area A focuses on the scientific aspects of climatology: Variability and predictability, interactions between climate system components as well as the global and regional sea level rises are investigated. Furthermore, the climate system’s relation to the carbon cycle and the influence of external disturbances on the predictability of the climate system is examined. The target of area B is to learn more about the consequences of global warming in sensible regions. One aim is to analyze the impact of global warming on permafrost soils or to find out whether intensive land utilization has any effect on the climate. In area C the scientists concern themselves about social reactions and developments connected with anthropogenic climate change. For example, it is examined in which ways various agents deal with climate-related information. Also treated is whether climate change is among others responsible for poverty and violent conflicts. CliSAP’s key research areas are supplemented with so-called “Integrated Activities” like the Integrated Climate Data Center, Integrated Modeling Activities, Global Climate Reconstruction, Understanding Science in Interaction and Visualization.
Organization and funding
CliSAP is represented by a chair, currently Professor Anita Engels, and two deputy chairs, currently Professor Eva-Maria Pfeiffer and Professor Detlef Stammer. They are chosen by the Scientific Steering Committee, which sets the cluster’s strategic agenda. CliSAP was established during the first funding period of the federal Excellence Initiative of the German federal government and the federal states, 2007-2012. In summer 2012 the German Research Foundation decided to continue the funding for another five years until 2017 within the second phase of the Excellence Initiative.
Education
The English-speaking graduate school “School of Integrated Climate System Sciences" is part of CliSAP. SICSS offers the possibility to earn a Master of Science degree within two-years, as well as a doctoral program which takes three years in the field of integrated climate system sciences. It combines climate sciences such as meteorology, oceanography and biogeochemistry in one course and, furthermore, integrates social and economic sciences as well as safety and conflict research. Every year CliSAP nominates outstanding doctoral theses in climate and Earth system research for the Wladimir Peter Köppen Award. The award includes prize money of €5,000.
Infrastructure
The following platforms of CliSAP partners are uses jointly for research: the supercomputers of the DKRZ, the Integrated Climate Data Center, large equipment like the Hamburger Wettermast, and the Environmental Wind Tunnel Laboratory. The "Control Station German Research Vessels” organizes the running of the research vessels Meteor, Maria S. Merian and Sonne.
