The U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture and the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the launch of a joint research program to produce high-resolution models for predicting climate change and its resulting impacts.
Called Decadal and Regional Climate Prediction Using Earth System Models (EaSM), the program is designed to generate more powerful models that can help decision-makers develop adaptation strategies addressing climate change. These models will be developed through a joint, interagency solicitation for proposals.
EaSM is expected to generate predictions of climate change and associated impacts at more localized scales and over shorter time periods than previously possible. In addition, interdisciplinary approaches will draw on biologists, chemists, computer scientists, geoscientists, materials scientists, mathematicians, physicists, computer specialists, and social scientists.
The federal departments said the development of high-resolution, interdisciplinary predictive models is important because the consequences of climate change are becoming more immediate and profound than anticipated. These consequences include prolonged droughts, increased ecosystem stress, reduced agriculture and forest productivity, altered biological feedbacks, degraded ocean and permafrost habitats and the rapid retreat of glaciers and sea ice–all of which are expected to have major impacts on ecological, economic and social systems as well as on human health.
To mitigate these consequences, EaSM models will be designed to support planning for the management of food and water supplies, infrastructure construction, ecosystem maintenance, and other pressing societal issues at more localized levels and more immediate time periods than can existing models.
The joint solicitation for EaSM proposals enables the three partner agencies to combine resources and fund the highest-impact projects without duplicating efforts. The FY 2010 EaSM solicitation will be supported by about $30 million from NSF; $10 million from DOE; and $9 million from USDA.
"This project represents an historic augmentation of support for interdisciplinary climate change research by NSF and its partner agencies," according to a joint press release.
This solicitation is the first solicitation for the five-year EaSM program, which will run from FY 2010 to FY 2014. Submitted proposals will be reviewed through NSF’s peer review process, and awards will be funded by all three partner agencies. About 20 NSF grants under EaSM are expected to be awarded.
Loading...