Mission
The AdSci International program element works with partners in the public and private sector in the U.S. and abroad to enhance the knowledge, engagement and capacity needed to foster adaptation and resilience in the face of a changing climate. Building on earlier CPO/CSI-led programs, including the International Research and Applications Project (IRAP), AdSci International supports interdisciplinary research, peer-to-peer learning, climate services development and resilience activities focused on the sectors and systems upon which communities depend (e.g., human health, disaster risk reduction, water resources, coastal and marine ecosystem management, food security, infrastructure). Through this approach, the program emphasizes the benefit of collaborative processes, creating new partnerships, and working within existing international and regional frameworks to support the integration of climate information in risk management, and the development of adaptation and resilience strategies.
Issue
Climate change is one of the most pressing threats to people, places and the interconnected systems that we rely on. Although everyone may experience climate impacts differently depending on a variety of factors, the need to plan for and respond to (or ‘adapt’) to a rapidly changing climate has become a universal priority and there are benefits to be gained through international collaboration and shared learning. The impacts of climate change, faced by an increasingly global society, require collaborative response strategies that cross national borders and build on collective knowledge and strategies from around the world.
Program History
AdSci International, launched in 2021 as part of CSI’s AdSci Program, builds on decades of work supported by NOAA’s Climate Program Office, reflecting a commitment to advancing decision support research and capacity building activities related to weather and climate across multiple time scales through international collaboration. These efforts responded to societally relevant needs by working closely with a suite of national, regional and international institutions to co-develop and implement research, develop experimental products, and advance training and capacity building to build resilience through sustained, reliable and timely climate services and assessments. Notable milestones in international program investments over the years include support for activities such as the Regional Climate Outlook Forums; innovative pilot applications research, training and capacity building projects related to ENSO forecasting; interdisciplinary competitive research grants focused on impacts and vulnerability through the Internationational Research and Applications Project (IRAP); and long-term institutional partnerships with entities such as in the International Research Institute for Climate and Society.
Through AdSci International, NOAA seeks to advance international scientific collaboration, shared learning and leadership with strategic investments in adaptation research, engagement and partnerships. These investments reflect the global nature of climate’s impact across commerce, health, security and development and its role in resilience.
Partnerships
Currently, the AdSci International program element is working closely with the U.S. Department of State and other partners within and external to NOAA to advance technical collaboration, engagement and extension focused on island resilience, and on coastal blue carbon. This work helps support NOAA’s engagement in the broader U.S. Federal agency community under the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE), launched at COP26 in Glasgow. PREPARE is a ‘whole-of-government approach’ designed to support and advance international adaptation and resilience, including the enhancement of climate information services and early warning systems, and the development of the knowledge, partnerships and solutions that underpin adaptation and resilience.