Developing a framework for an interdisciplinary and international climate intervention strategies research program

The Community Climate Intervention Strategies (CCIS) Steering Committee was established to answer this call and to enhance collaboration between the disparate research groups needed to develop an interdisciplinary and international climate intervention research program. During the summer of 2020, CCIS hosted an eight-part webinar series that outlined the state of science of various climate intervention approaches and highlighted the need for portfolio-based assessments of climate interventions.

A total of 27 international experts addressed the state of science information on future climate scenario development, integrated assessment modeling, SRM, CDR, observational needs, societal and ecological impacts, education and outreach, and ethics and governance. As a follow-up to the webinar series, the CCIS team convened the CCIS workshop in October 2020 with interdisciplinary and international participation of approximately 60% physical and biological scientists, and the remainder consisted of social scientists, communication and education specialists, local stakeholders, policymakers, and representatives from nonprofit organizations.

Outcomes of the workshop included recommendations to 1) create seven science-themed working groups as part of the CCIS research framework, 2) develop a CCIS communication and resource hub to facilitate exchange between scientists, stakeholders, and policymakers, and 3) integrate communication and interdisciplinary research design specialists within working groups and the CCIS program at large. These outcomes will be the basis for synergizing existing climate intervention research, identifying research priorities and needs, and initiating future interdisciplinary projects.