Global Spotlight Report #32: A Review of Leading Climate Change Research Organizations

Introduction

Climate Scorecard’s Post 32 provides profiles on 26 of the world’s leading climate research organizations. Many are doing ground-breaking work on issues such as renewable energy, deforestation, sustainable energy, weather patterns, and related topics. Several of these research centers are privately funded; some are government financed. Almost all carryout their work in collaboration with other institutions, such as government agencies, universities, and international donors.

There are some centers that do research that affects climate change policy, such as the EU’s Joint Research Centre, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the US Global Change Research Program. However, in many countries it is difficult to ascertain the link between research studies and climate change policy. And there appear to be few research centers that focus on the important need for studies that document the impact of government climate change policy.

Below is a list of the Leading climate mitigation research organizations featured in our Report. Profiles of the work of these organizations is provided below.

List of Leading Research Organizations

Australia:

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSRIO)

https://www.arena.gov.au

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)

https://www.csrio.au

 

Brazil

Center for Weather Forecasting and Climate Studies (CPTEC)

https://www.cptec.inpe.br

Earth System Science Center (CCST)

http://www.ccst.inpe.br

Interdisciplinary Climate Investigation Center (NAP/USP)

http://nap.usp.br/npnap/?lang=en

 

Canada        

Climate Action Network-Canada (CAN-Rac)

https://climateactionnetwork.ca/about-can-rac/

 

China            

Chinese Academy of Sciences

http://english.cas.cn

 

European Union 

The Joint Research Center

https://ec.europa.eu/knowledge4policy/organisation/jrc-joint-research-

 

France                     

French National Centre for Scientific Research

https://www.cnrs.fr/en/cnrs

French National Research Institute for Agriculture

https://www.inrae.fr/en

 

India                        

Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)

www.teriin.org

Center for Science and the Environment (CSE)

www.cseindia.org

 

Indonesia               

Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)

https://www.cifor.org

World Resources Institute Indonesia

https://www.wri.org/resources/websites/wri-indonesia

 

Japan                        

The National Institute for Environmental Studies

http://www.nies.go.jp/index-e.html

The Renewable Energy Institute

https://www.renewable-ei.org/en/

 

Mexico                       

World Resources Institute Mexico

https://www.renewable-ei.org/en/

 

Nigeria                        

NEST

https://www.nestinteractive.org/projects.php

 

Russia                         

The Energy Center

https://energy.skolkovo.ru/en/senec/

The Russian Academy of Wind Power Industry (RAWI)

https://rawi.ru/en/about-rawi/members/

 
Saudi Arabia              

The Center for Excellence in Climate Change Research (CECCR)

https://ceccr.kau.edu.sa/Default-902-EN

Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water, and Desert Research

https://hesr.ksu.edu.sa/en/content/prince-sultan-institute-environmental-water-and-desert-research

 

South Africa    

The African Climate and Development Institute (ACDI)

http://www.acdi.uct.ac.za

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

https://www.gov.za/council-scientific-and-industrial-research

 

United Kingdom   

Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/grantham/

 

United States         

The US Global Change Research Program

https://www.globalchange.gov


Country Climate Research Organization Profiles

CSIRO and ARENA Leading Climate Mitigation Research in Australia

Australia has two major government-funded bodies leading on climate mitigation research: the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). CSIRO’s mandate is broad, and the organisation is tasked with tackling Australia’s biggest future challenges by partnering with industry and universities. It has eight research units (with climate mitigation…

Read More
0 comments

Outstanding Climate Research is conducted in Brazil through IPNE and the Interdisciplinary Climate Investigation Center

Country specific climate research is critical for enabling adaptation and mitigation strategies, and to support decision making in general. In the case of Brazil, it is key to generating scientific advances in what particularly relates to the linkages between climate and Land-Uses and Land-Cover Changes (LULCC) (ie. deforestation) and the impacts on the ecosystems we…

Read More
0 comments

CAN-Rac Organizations Leading Climate Research in Canada

There are a number of organizations that generate important climate change research and outcomes in Canada. Many are members of Climate Action Network Canada – Réseau action climat (CAN-Rac), a coalition of more than 100 organizations from across Canada. Individual efforts can be found as well through universities, businesses, and institutes. Climate funding may come…

Read More
0 comments

Chinese Academy of Sciences and Others Lead Climate Research in China

In China, climate change and environmental pollution mitigation research has been playing an increasingly important role, especially since 2012 when President Xi formalized the concept of “ecological civilization”. Numerous organizations are conducting research into the environmental effects of economic development. They can be divided into four categories: Government-funded think tanks which research informs macro socio-economic…

Read More
1 comment

Joint Research Centre Performs Independent Research to Help Inform EU policy

One of the European Commission’s goals is to continue to explore the impacts of climate change and to determine effective responses that can be taken to lessen both present and future impacts. The European Commission is currently partnered with the Joint Programming Initiative on Climate Change, the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the Global Framework for…

Read More
0 comments

Spotlight on: French National Centre for Scientific Research and the French National Research Institute for Agriculture

Climate change research in France is highly advanced on international standards. Most notably, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is one of the world’s largest contributors to leading publications in Earth and environmental sciences. The most important CNRS sections from the perspective of climate change research are the National Institute for Earth Sciences…

Read More
0 comments

Indonesia’s Center for International Forestry Research and World Resources Institute

The two most pressing mitigation areas in Indonesia are agriculture, especially palm oil cultivation, and forest management. Several research organizations bolster Indonesia’s technical ability to address forestry management and agriculture. Apart from public research organizations that actively collaborate with the Indonesian government, there is also a strong presence of independent organizations that produce climate research…

Read More
0 comments

Japan Spotlight: The National Institute for Environmental Studies and The Renewable Energy Institute

Climate Change Research in Japan is mostly concentrated in universities and designated Climate Policy research institutions around the country. Here, we introduce the two major research institutions and their research on Climate Change. The National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES:国立環境研究所) was established in 1974 as a focal point for environmental research in Japan. In 2001,…

Read More
0 comments

World Resources Institute Mexico Analyzes Energy Efficiency and Promotes More Sustainable Buildings

Mexico is the 12th largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, and the second largest in Latin America. The country has experienced the effects of climate change with hotter periods, more droughts, intense rain, floods and hurricanes. Addressing climate change is an imperative since due to its impact the economy is expected to decline up…

Read More
0 comments

Building Nigeria’s Response to Climate Change (BNRCC)

Relative to the other countries that Climate Scorecard tracks, Nigeria is severely lacking in the climate change research department. There are not many research organizations inside of Nigeria that are founded by the Nigerian government. This is unsurprising as Nigeria is a developing country so most of its funding goes towards other programs/projects than climate…

Read More
0 comments

Spotlight: The Energy Center and the Russia Association of Wind Power Energy

In recent years, the issue of climate change mitigation has started to become a rather hot topic among Russia’s research community and with the release of the country’s first climate adaptation plan in January, 2020, this area of study will most likely continue to grow. 1) The Energy Centre at Moscow’s SKOLKOVO School of Management…

Read More
0 comments

The Center for Excellence in Climate Change Research and the Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water, and Desert Research in Saudi Arabia

Climate change mitigation research in Saudi Arabia is conducted through universities and institutions that are seemingly well-funded. Two such prominent organizations are: Center of Excellence for Climate Change Research (CECCR), at King Abdulaziz University, and Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water, and Desert Research, at King Saud University. CECCR was established in 2009 to “provide…

Read More
0 comments

Spotlight Activity: The African Climate and Development Initiative and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

In South Africa, there are numerous environmental organisations that work to minimise the impacts of climate change and strengthen South Africa’s biodiversity. These organisations are involved in different conservation and research projects that aim to reduce the degradation of the natural environment,  protect vulnerable communities and ecosystems and influence the decision making for the future…

Read More
0 comments

Spotlight Report: BC3, The Climate Change Mitigation Research Organization in Spain

In Spain, over 90% of Spaniards are aware that climate change is happening. Whether it’s a rural farmer’s agricultural business struggles, a coastal resident’s hurricane scare, or a city dweller’s new requirements to buy a car with a cleaner engine, climate change affects most, if not all, Spaniards today. Naturally, the academic field concerning climate…

Read More
0 comments

Spotlight Activity: Thailand Environment Institute Foundation (TEI) and Energy Research Institute (ERI)

At present, research on climate change mitigation and adaptation in Thailand is a major agenda amongst the Thai Government and policymakers in the country. To enhance further research on climate change mitigation and adaptation, two major organizations in Thailand like Thailand Environment Institute Foundation (TEI) and Energy Research Institute (ERI) are leading by example. Thailand…

Read More
0 comments

The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment in the UK

Home to many prestigious organizations and institutions with a multitude of resources, the UK is home to some groups doing the most groundbreaking climate research. Common research themes are mitigation, climate adaption, energy systems, urban resilience, climate change governance and legislation, environmental behavior.  The UK, which only constitutes approximately 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions…

Read More
0 comments

The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)

The United States is home to some of the most groundbreaking research on climate change, but at the federal level, research and development relating to climate change mitigation are not prioritized for funding, and it remains a contentious political issue divided along party lines. Republicans in Congress often support funding for innovation programs – that…

Read More
0 comments

India Spotlight: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and The Center for Science and the Environment (CSE)

Research over the years in the area of climate change in India has gradually been adopted by the school and university systems and offered through various mediums including through curriculum, outreach mediums and demonstration methods, leading to better awareness and mitigation solutions at local levels, given enormity of the country. Such avenues of educating children…

Read More
0 comments

Leave a Reply

x
x

Climate Scorecard depends on support from people like you.

We are a team of researchers providing information on efforts to reduce global emissions. We help make you better informed and able to advocate for improved climate change efforts. Donations of any amount are welcome.