World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)

What World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) does

The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) is an international scientific research coordination programme, not a commercial enterprise, founded in 1980 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland within the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretariat. It is co-sponsored by three intergovernmental bodies — WMO, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), and the International Science Council (ISC) — and operates through a governance structure headed by an 18-member Joint Scientific Committee currently chaired by Tim Naish (New Zealand) with Vice-Chair Cristiana Stan (USA). The programme is structured around six Core Projects (APARC, CliC, CLIVAR, ESMO, GEWEX, RIfS) that nurture discipline-based research communities, five Lighthouse Activities (Digital Earths, Explaining and Predicting Earth System Change, GPEX, My Climate Risk, Safe Landing Climates) addressing transdisciplinary priorities, plus the WCRP Academy for capacity development, with supporting project offices in Oxford, Qingdao, Pune, and Cape Town.

The programme's technology platform centers on coordinating Earth system modeling, observations, and prediction across sub-seasonal to centennial timescales. Named technical components include the Digital Earths Lighthouse Activity (integrating HPC, big data, and AI/ML for ultra-high-resolution Earth-system simulations), km-scale coupled regional and global climate modeling (Δx<10km), AI/ML-augmented climate data assimilation and re-analysis, the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX), and the Global Extremes Platform (GEP) for extreme indices derived from station observations, reanalyses, and model simulations. WCRP does not sell commercial products or services; all outputs, publications, and resources are freely available to the global scientific community.

WCRP's revenue model is entirely non-commercial, funded by the three co-sponsoring organizations plus contributions from national funding agencies and member institutions worldwide (including NASA as primary sponsor of the International GEWEX Project Office and ESA co-hosting CORDEX). The programme serves four primary stakeholder groups: climate science researchers (international coordination and shared infrastructure), governments and policymakers (evidence-based climate information), climate services organizations (data and projections), and regional climate information users requiring actionable decision-relevant information. Its work underpins IPCC assessment cycles and supports UNFCCC climate policy processes.

Name

World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)

Legal name

World Climate Research Programme

Website

https://wcrp-climate.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WCRP is an international climate research coordination programme co-sponsored by WMO, IOC-UNESCO, and ISC, operating 6 Core Projects, 5 Lighthouse Activities, and 50+ Regional Focal Points to serve climate scientists, governments, and policymakers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Research Coordination

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate & GHG/Emissions Modeling & Scenario Analysis (Inventories, Projections, Net-Zero Pathways) (EUAHAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Downscaled Climate Projections & Scenario Analytics (CMIP, SSP/RCP, Regionalization) (EUABALAB), Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

Keywords

• Climate research coordination
• Earth system modeling
• Regional climate downscaling
• Climate observation programs
• Climate science policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Genève, Genève

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Funding: WCRP receives funding and support from three co-sponsoring organizations: World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), and International Science Council (ISC), along with contributions from national funding agencies and member institutions worldwide

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WCRP coordinates international climate research through six Core Projects (APARC, CliC, CLIVAR, ESMO, GEWEX, RIfS) and five Lighthouse Activities (Digital Earths, Explaining and Predicting Earth System Change, GPEX, My Climate Risk, Safe Landing Climates). The program produces climate knowledge supporting IPCC assessments, advances Earth system modeling and high-resolution simulations, facilitates data sharing and collaborative experiments, and provides framework for regional climate information aligned with societal decision contexts.

Product overview

WCRP (World Climate Research Programme) is an international research coordination program (not a software product) organized into six Core Projects, five Lighthouse Activities, and various supporting initiatives. The Core Projects (APARC, CliC, CLIVAR, ESMO, GEWEX, RIfS) provide discipline-based homes for climate research communities. The Lighthouse Activities (Digital Earths, Explaining and Predicting Earth System Change, GPEX, My Climate Risk, Safe Landing Climates, plus WCRP Academy) are ambitious transdisciplinary initiatives advancing specific scientific priorities. Key sub-initiatives include CORDEX for regional climate downscaling and the Global Extremes Platform for extremes data. WCRP publishes scientific reports and coordinates international climate research, providing foundational climate science infrastructure rather than commercial products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GEWEX (Global Energy and Water Exchanges): Core project dedicated to understanding Earth's water cycle and energy fluxes
• CLIVAR (Climate and Ocean Variability, Predictability and Change)
• CliC (Climate and Cryosphere)
• APARC (Atmospheric Processes And their Role in Climate)
• ESMO (Earth System Modelling and Observations)
• RIfS (Regional Information for Society)
• Digital Earths
• My Climate Risk
• Safe Landing Climates
• Explaining and Predicting Earth System Change
• GPEX (Global Precipitation Experiment)
• WCRP Academy
• CORDEX

Products and services

• Core Projects (APARC, CliC, CLIVAR, ESMO, GEWEX, RIfS) WCRP's foundational scientific homes that nurture and sustain discipline-based research communities across key climate science domains. APARC focuses on atmospheric processes and their role in climate, CliC addresses climate and cryosphere interactions, CLIVAR focuses on climate and ocean variability, ESMO covers Earth system modelling and observations, GEWEX is dedicated to Earth's water cycle and energy fluxes, and RIfS provides actionable regional climate information for society.
• Lighthouse Activities Major transdisciplinary activities designed to make critical near-term progress towards WCRP's Vision, Mission, and Scientific Objectives. The five Lighthouse Activities are Digital Earths, Explaining and Predicting Earth System Change, GPEX (Global Precipitation Experiment), My Climate Risk, and Safe Landing Climates.
• Digital Earths Lighthouse Activity Cross-cutting activity supporting development of integrated interactive digital information systems providing global and regional climate information, including natural and human systems. Advances co-development of high-resolution Earth-system modeling with HPC, big data, and AI methodologies, including km-scale modeling and machine learning/AI-based data assimilation.
• Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) A key scientific pillar of RIfS providing science and application of regional climate downscaling to advance understanding of climate drivers of risk for specific sectors on multiple temporal and spatial scales.
• Global Extremes Platform (GEP) Platform integrating activities on weather and climate extremes across WCRP, developing a public-facing database offering global extreme indices data products from station observations, reanalysis products, and model simulations, with an associated working group on event attribution.
• WCRP Academy Standalone part of WCRP structure focused on training, capacity building, higher education, and facilitated collaboration for early career and developing country researchers.
• WCRP Publications Archive Archive of WCRP publications including reports, science highlights, status briefs, and workshop proceedings from 1999 to present, freely available to the global scientific community and stakeholders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Contributed fundamentally to the conclusion that human activities are responsible for the majority of observed global climate change

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of WCRP's three co-sponsoring organizations. WMO provides institutional framework and connection to global weather and climate operational services.
• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of WCRP's three co-sponsoring organizations. IOC provides framework for oceanographic research coordination.
• International Science Council (ISC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of WCRP's three co-sponsoring organizations. ISC provides connection to global scientific community.
• Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for sustained observations of the climate system.
• Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for ocean observations coordination.
• Group on Earth Observations (GEO)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Earth observations coordination and integration.
• World Weather Research Programme (WWRP)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerWMO program partner for weather research coordination.
• Future EarthkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research platform partner for sustainability research.
• Global Carbon ProjectkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for global carbon cycle research coordination.
• Belmont ForumkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for funding agencies coordination on global environmental change research.
• National Space AgencieskeyTechnology or IntegrationPartner organizations providing satellite observations and space-based climate data.
• European Space Agency (ESA)keyTechnology or IntegrationCo-host of the CORDEX International Project Office (CORDEX-IPOC) with University of Cape Town.
• University of Cape Town (UCT)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the CORDEX International Project Office (CORDEX-IPOC) with European Space Agency in Oxford, UK.
• Ocean University of China (OUC)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of the International CLIVAR Project Office (ICPO) with Laoshan Laboratory in Qingdao, China.
• Universities Space Research Association (USRA)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the International GEWEX Project Office (IGPO) in conjunction with Science and Technology Corporation.
• NASAkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary sponsor of the International GEWEX Project Office (IGPO).
• Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of the International Monsoons Project Office (IMPO) supporting the CLIVAR/GEWEX Monsoons Panel.
• American Meteorological Society (AMS)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional society partner recognizing climate science leaders through awards including the Kenneth C. Spengler Award.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Global Carbon Project: The Global Carbon Project is a research coordination initiative focused on the global carbon cycle and a strategic WCRP partner. It is comparable as an internationally coordinated scientific programme producing standardized global carbon and climate datasets.
• World Weather Research Programme (WWRP): WWRP is WCRP's sister WMO programme advancing weather research. They share the same sponsoring organization (WMO), similar international coordination models, and overlapping scientific communities, with documented joint projects such as S2S Prediction.
• Belmont Forum: The Belmont Forum coordinates funding agencies on global environmental change research. It is directly comparable to WCRP because both convene multinational research collaboration, and Belmont Forum is a listed WCRP strategic partner.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): The IPCC assesses the scientific, technical, and socio-economic information relevant to understanding climate change and is a direct peer as an intergovernmental climate science coordination body that WCRP directly feeds with scientific outputs.
• Future Earth: Future Earth is an international research platform coordinating sustainability science. It is directly comparable to WCRP as a global research coordination initiative that overlaps on themes such as climate risk and Earth-system change, and is a strategic WCRP partner.
• Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS): GOOS coordinates global ocean observations under IOC-UNESCO sponsorship. It is directly comparable to WCRP as an intergovernmental observation/research coordination programme that shares co-sponsorship and feeds into IPCC science assessments.
• Global Climate Observing System (GCOS): GCOS is a strategic WCRP partner that ensures sustained observations of the climate system. Both are intergovernmental coordination mechanisms operating under WMO/ISC frameworks focused on climate science infrastructure.
• Group on Earth Observations (GEO): GEO is an intergovernmental partnership coordinating Earth observation efforts globally. It overlaps with WCRP on Earth-system data integration and is listed as a key WCRP strategic partner.

Broad incumbents

• International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA): IIASA is an international research institute applying systems analysis to climate, energy, and sustainability challenges. It is broadly comparable to WCRP because both coordinate large international climate-energy-environment research communities and contribute to IPCC assessments.
• NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS): NASA GISS is a major institutional contributor to climate modeling (e.g., GISS-E2) and a strategic WCRP partner housing JSC member Dr. Anastasia Romanou. It is comparable as a globally influential climate modeling institution that feeds into WCRP-coordinated experiments like CMIP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wcrp-world-climate-research-programme

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)