CFCAS Vision

CFCAS enhances Canada's scientific capacity by funding the generation and dissemination of knowledge in climate and atmospheric sciences in relevant areas of national importance and policy relevance, through focused support for excellent university-based research.

Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences

·         Main funding body for university-based research on climate, atmospheric and oceanographic sciences

·         Autonomous non-profit agency established in 2000-2001.  Current mandate ends March 2012.

·        Funding of projects, networks, workshops, symposia and reports, and some international coordination activities based in Canada

·         Budget $110M over 10 years: $101.5M for grants; $8.5M for administration

·        Grants budget fully committed as of July 2006; grants since 2006 funded through earned interest on Foundation investments

·        Funding focus: policy-relevant research and initiatives, with outputs benefiting federal priorities and Canadian society

·        Grant recommendations based on peer review; policy and funding decisions by Board of Trustees

·         Policies and procedures harmonized with federal funding councils/agencies

·         Full-time CFCAS Secretariat staff of six

Thematic Priorities

·         Air quality

·         Arctic, northern and cryospheric climate science

·        Climate change and its impacts on the physical environment, particularly water resources

·         Weather prediction and severe weather

Research Areas (investments to September 2008)

·     Climate system science and climate change                         $70.2M

·     Extreme weather                                                                     13.9M

·     Air quality                                                                                20.3M

·     Marine environmental prediction                                             11.2M

·     National/International project offices[1]                                     1.0M

Total                                                                                         $116.6M

[1] See “International Links,” next page.

Funded Initiatives

·         2000 to present: $116.6M disbursed or committed

·         Support to 158 projects, 2 major initiatives and 24 networks

·         Joint support and cash/in-kind contributions total an additional ~$144M

·         47 projects/networks focus on ice and snow or the Arctic; this investment totals $29.9M

Partnerships

·        Joint funding of some major initiatives with other agencies and organizations (e.g. NSERC[2]; BIOCAP Canada); cash or in-kind support from Environment Canada (MSC), DFO, AAFC, NRCan[3], various forestry and hydro companies, universities and provincial government organizations

·        Several international members on CFCAS Grants and Networks Review Committees as well as members from the federal and provincial governments and private sector

·        Shared support for Canadian elements of some international (World Climate Research Program) initiatives: CLIVAR, SOLAS, FLUXNET, etc.

International Links

·    Partial CFCAS support ($902.7K) to the International SPARC Project Office (Stratospheric Processes and their Role in Climate—SPARC is a WCRP[4] core program); the International Project Office moved from CNRS (France) to the University of Toronto in August 2004

·    Partial support of $200K over 2 years (2004–2006) to the international SOLAS (Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study) Focus 2 Working Group office based at Dalhousie University (Note: The SOLAS International Project Office is at the University of East Anglia, U.K.)

·    Collaboration in the organization and support of Canadian activities for International Polar Year (IPY); CFCAS financial contribution (2004–2006) to help support the national IPY Secretariat at the University of Alberta

·       CFCAS involvement in developing Canada’s role in a North American Carbon Program, in concert with other Canadian and with U.S. agencies

Other Activities

·         Symposia, for example:

·         From Research to Action (November 2005): examined the uptake of research by stakeholders including policymakers, the transfer of information on policy needs to scientists, and related issues

·         The Lowdown on the Meltdown (November 25, 2008): provided an update on Arctic research and policy, including results of CFCAS-funded research on Arctic climate

·         Chair (2007–2009) and Secretariat of the International Group of Funding Agencies for Global Change Research (IGFA)