Overview

Established in October 2005, NOAA's Climate Program Office (CPO) provides strategic guidance and oversight for the agency's climate science and services programs. Designed to build knowledge of climate variability and change—and how they affect our health, our economy, and our future—the CPO's programs have three main objectives:

• Describe and understand the state of the climate system through integrated observations, monitoring, and data management;
• Understand and predict climate variability and change from weeks to decades to a century into the future; and
• Improve society's ability to plan and respond to climate variability and change.

The CPO funds high-priority climate research to advance understanding of atmospheric and oceanic processes as well as climate impacts resulting from drought and other stresses. This research is conducted in most regions of the United States and at national and international scales, including in the Arctic. Recognizing that climate science literacy is a prerequisite for putting this new knowledge into action at all levels of society, the CPO also helps to lead NOAA's climate communication, education, and professional development and training activities.