INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON CLIMATE: TERMS OF REFERENCE
[Draft-Version 5—July 18, 2003]
Preamble
The International Commission on Climate (ICCL) was established by the International Association for Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics (IAMAP) (now the International Association for Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, IAMAS) at its plenary session in Seattle on 22 August 1977. The commission was established in response to the increasing research activity into the physical basis of climate and its variability. It was intended that the work of the ICCL should complement the work of the other commissions and that it should also include related areas such as ocean atmosphere coupling and past climatic variations and variability.
I. Objectives of the Commission
1. The Objectives of the International Commission on Climate (ICCL) are:
1.1. To promote scientific observation and research of climate, including examination of climatic fluctuations and change on all time scales, stressing an interdisciplinary approach, albeit without initiating research programs of its own;
1.2. To initiate, facilitate, and coordinate international cooperation in the study and investigation of the couplings of climate to environment and society, and application of the research to practical problems, including by helping make information and advice available;
1.3. To stimulate presentation and publication of scientific studies and assessments relating to climate, including its couplings to the environment and society;
1.4. To stimulate, facilitate, and assist in the continuing development and education of scientists involved in the study of climate, including its couplings to the environment and society; and
1.5. To cooperate fully with other IAMAS Commissions and IUGG Associations (e.g., IAPSO and IAHS) and through the Association with the World Climate Research Programme. A major activity of ICCL in carrying out this cooperation is the organization of symposia at IAMAS and IUGG assemblies.
II. Organizational Affiliation of the Commission
2. The ICCL is one of the constituent Commissions of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS), which is one of the constituent Associations of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG).
2.1. The ICCL operates under the Statutes of the IAMAS.
2.2. The business of the International Commission for Climate shall be governed by Section XI of the statutes of the International Association for Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS) (see http://iamas.org/statutes/english.html)
III. Membership on the Commission
3. The ICCL is composed of recognized and interested scientists who are committed to fulfilling the objectives of the Commission and the IAMAS through cooperation with their scientific colleagues.
3.1. Regular members shall be elected to the ICCL by its members from among those nominated. The officers of the ICCL may also accept nominees from Adhering Countries as members of ICCL immediately upon nomination in the period between General and Scientific Assemblies of IAMAS.
3.2. All countries that adhere to the IUGG and are members of the IAMAS are qualified to nominate members to serve on the ICCL. In addition, members of the ICCL, whether from Adhering or non-Adhering Countries, may nominate recognized and interested scientists, for membership.
3.3. To facilitate and encourage interdisciplinary communication, other IAMAS Commissions and other IUGG Associations are also invited to nominate members or liaisons to the ICCL.
3.4 The term of a regular member shall normally be for 4 years, and may be renewed for a second four years upon nomination by either the members of IAMAS or the Commission and election by the ICCL. Service of a regular member nominated by an Adhering Country and accepted by the officers as members of the ICCL in the two-year period leading up to a General or Scientific Assembly shall not count toward the two-term limit.
3.5. The ICCL may also select former officers and former regular members as honorary or emeritus members in recognition of their contributions to the ICCL. Honorary and emeritus members are invited to assist in fulfilling the objectives of the ICCL. The terms of honorary and emeritus members are indefinite. The number of honorary members should be relatively limited and granting of honorary membership should not be automatic.
3.6. The number of members of the ICCL shall be determined by the ICCL. In electing regular members, consideration is given to representing the wide ranges of scientific expertise and geography that are active and relevant for study of the climate and applications of research findings.
3.7. Service as a member of the ICCL shall be without remuneration or reimbursement of expenses, except as approved by the ICCL and as are within the resources of the ICCL.
IV. Officers of the Commission
4. The officers of the ICCL shall include a President and a Secretary, and may, at the discretion of the members, include a Vice-President and/or a President-Elect.
4.1. Elections for the President and Secretary shall be held coincident with, or immediately before (if the election is held by email), the General Assemblies of the IAMAS, which are coincident with the General Assemblies of the IUGG that are held every four years. Election of the Vice-President and/or President-Elect may be held by email or at Extraordinary Scientific Assemblies or at other major meetings of the ICCL largely sponsored by the ICCL between General Assemblies.
4.2. Nominations for President and Secretary shall be made by the Members of the ICCL and require the agreement of the nominee to serve. Nominees must be from Adhering Countries of the IUGG, but do not have to be members of the ICCL at the time of election to office. Nominees must qualify as recognized and interested scientists.
4.3. The term of office for President and Secretary shall be four years, beginning at the end of the General Assembly. Officers may be elected to serve for a maximum of two terms. Terms of office may be extended beyond two terms only if an election is unable to be held and with the permission of the IAMAS Executive Committee.
4.4. The time of service of officers on the ICCL shall be counted separately from the time of service of an officer as a member of the ICCL.
4.5. The officers of the ICCL shall serve without remuneration or reimbursement of expenses, except as provided at the discretion of IAMAS or IUGG.
V. Meetings and Official Actions
5. Official meetings of the ICCL shall be held at the General Assemblies of the IAMAS.
5.1. The ICCL shall hold its regular meetings coincident with the General Assemblies of the IAMAS. Meetings shall be open to all who are interested in supporting the objectives of the ICCL. While nonmembers may be heard at commission meetings, only members of the ICCL may vote on matters before them.
5.2. The ICCL may also choose to meet at Scientific Assemblies of the IAMAS and in such other circumstances, as the officers of the ICCL deem useful to achieving the objectives of the IAMAS.
VI. Official Actions of the ICCL
6. Official Actions of the ICCL may be taken at meetings or via email
6.1. The ICCL will normally conduct its official business at meetings held coincident with the General and Scientific Assemblies of the IAMAS.
6.2. The ICCL may conduct its business, including election of its members, via email or correspondence or, in rare circumstances, via conference calls.
6.3. The Secretary of the ICCL shall maintain an official record of the actions of the ICCL and this shall be available to all members and to the IAMAS Executive Committee for review.
6.4. All decisions of the ICCL shall be taken by simple majority of the individual regular, honorary, and emeritus members voting at a meeting or of the votes received by email. In case of equal votes for and against, the vote of the President shall decide.
VII. Responsibilities of the Officers and Members of the ICCL
7. In fulfilling the objectives of the ICCL, the responsibilities of the officers and members shall include, but are not limited to:
7.1. Recommending and developing proposals for sessions and symposia at Assemblies of the IAMAS, and at other meetings as appropriate (proposals generally include information on content, proposed convenor(s), and expected level of interest and are submitted to IAMAS at their meetings, which are coincident with their assemblies).
7.2. Assisting in the development of the program content and participation in approved sessions and symposia, including the encouragement of scientists to participate by submission of papers, and in the conduct of the symposia, as requested by the convenors.
7.3. Assisting members of IAMAS and other Commissions and scientific organizations in the development of plans for scientific sessions and for inter-symposium coordination of sessions to be held at IAMAS assemblies, and as appropriate, at other meetings;
7.4. Participate in the official affairs of IAMAS and associated organizations, as appropriate. This shall include providing a biennial report to the IAMAS on membership and actions during the year and participating in the IAMAS review of ICCL.
7.5. Prepare and recommend resolutions on matters relating to climate for consideration by ICCL, IAMAS, and IUGG.
7.6. The President and the Secretary shall be responsible for carrying out the necessary activities to sustain ICCL and promote its objectives between IAMAS assemblies. This shall include providing notice to Members of upcoming meetings, preparation of agendas for meetings, distribution of minutes reporting on meetings, maintaining of a membership roster, and provision for nomination of officers.
7.7. The Secretary shall be responsible for the financial affairs of the ICCL, which shall include accounting for income from IAMAS and for paying and keeping a record of ICCL expenditures. Expenditures of less than $250 for administrative costs of the ICCL and for the convening of meetings shall be approved by the Secretary and President; expenditures for over $250 shall be approved by the ICCL. Every two years, the Secretary shall submit a report of income and expenses for review by the ICCL and the IAMAS Executive Committee.
7.8. In seeking to fulfill its objectives, the ICCL may appoint sub-commissions, committees, or working groups to undertake special studies or devote specialist attention to a specific or general area of concern in the area of climate. Members of these additional groups may or may not be members of the ICCL.
7.9. As requested, make recommendations of scientists to serve on various joint committees or other bodies.
7.10. Represent the interests of the ICCL before other organizations and in the planning and conduct of cooperative scientific activities.
7.11. Consider and recommend to IAMAS the adoption and revision of the Terms of Reference of the ICCL.
7.12. Carry out such other activities as are appropriate and are approved by the ICCL aimed toward promoting the objectives of the ICCL and IAMAS.
VIII. Scientific Scope of the Commission
8. The scientific scope of the ICCL shall be interpreted broadly to include scientifically based observation and research on climate, including: mean conditions; extremes; moments; fluctuations, oscillations, and variations on all time and spatial scales; and couplings of climate to environment and society. Among the areas of interest are the following:
8.1. The climate of the present, including its distribution around the world, trends in climatic conditions, and couplings to the environment and society.
8.2. The climates of the past, including the recent past, the industrial period, the period recorded in human records, and the paleoclimatic period covering the climatic history of the Earth, including interactions of climate with historical development.
8.3. The climates of the future over periods of seasons, years, decades, centuries, and thousands of years into the future, including potential impacts of climate with the environment and society.
8.4. The factors contributing to climate variations and changes, including both natural and human-induced factors, in the past, the present, and projected for the future.
8.5. The observational systems used to gather information about the climate and document change as well as to reconstruct past climatic conditions.
8.6. The empirical, theoretical, and numerical methods and analyses used to diagnose and interpret climatic behavior, including the processes and feedbacks (including those that are physical, chemical and biological) that determine the climate as well as its variations and change.
8.7. Numerical models of the climate, including their construction, testing, and application, including the interpretation of their results.
8.8. Interactions of the components of the Earth system, including the atmosphere, land surface, oceans, biosphere (terrestrial and marine), cryosphere, and lithosphere that together influence the climate.
8.9. The cycling of chemical species, particularly those that are radiatively active, through the climate system and the interactions of these species on the climate.