About APARC

APARC is a core project of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). More specifically, APARC promotes and facilitates cutting-edge international research activities on how chemical and physical processes in the atmosphere interact with climate and climate change.

APARC activities are organised under three overarching themes and result from an integration of process studies, observations, and modelling. Research is largely bottom-up driven and contributes significantly to international assessments, such as the assessments of ozone depletion by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), as well as the climate assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). APARC products include scientific assessment reports, journal publications, newsletters, and datasets.

Much of the science APARC is coordinating relates to the WCRP Grand Challenges (GC), particularly the GCs on Clouds, Circulation and Climate Sensitivity, Near-term Climate Prediction, Climate Extremes, and Carbon Feedbacks in the Climate System. Grand Challenges are both highly specific and highly focused, identifying specific barriers preventing progress in a critical area of climate science. They enable the development of targeted research efforts with the likelihood of significant progress over 5 to 10 years.

The Scientific Steering Group (SSG) provides leadership for APARC and represents a broad spectrum of disciplines and nationalities, including both junior and senior scientists. The APARC SSG is supported by the APARC Office and activity leaders. All scientists involved in APARC initiatives work on a voluntary basis and often spend time and resources outside regular office hours on APARC activities. The continuing success of APARC relies on the essential contributions of this community.