Climatic and Environmental Change (CCEC)

The Union Commission on Climatic and Environmental Change (CCEC) was established by the Executive Committee of IUGG in 2012 in order to promote the advancement of scientific understanding of climatic and environmental change, to boost research in reducing uncertainties in climate and environmental models, to define criteria for collaborative trans-disciplinary research on climate and environmental change, to fulfill the objectives of IUGG and its associations, to provide an all-Union perspective on climatic and environmental change, and to make available the knowledge and insights developed through scientific research to the benefit of society and planet Earth, including consideration of the science of global change, related vulnerability and impacts, and potential responses.

CCEC provides a focus for IUGG scientific expertise in climate and environment related areas across the breadth of all IUGG disciplines and associations. CCEC enables the breadth of IUGG expertise to be brought to bear at the global level through collaborating with, and underpinning the work of ISC and other international organizations.

It also enables the geographic spread of IUGG expertise to be brought to bear at the local level through involvement with national bodies in the organization of meetings and other activities.

Objectives:

  • To build scientific capacity for responsibly addressing the broad, multi-disciplinary issues involved in climatic and environmental change;
  • To provide useful information, understanding, and support to the public and governmental organizations;
  • To interact and cooperate with outside activities that would benefit from the capabilities and resources of the IUGG Associations; and
  • To strengthen links across the Scientific Associations within IUGG, to build new external links to organizations outside IUGG, to strengthen existing links to external organizations and to promote IUGG’s contribution to global change research.

Learn more about the CCEC:

The 2025 UNESCO Chair-International Forum on Blue Carbon and Sustainable Development (BCSD2025), co-sponsored by the IUGG Union Commission on Climatic and Environmental Change (CCEC), co-organized by Ocean University of China, University of Portsmouth, and UNESCO Chair in Ocean Governance was opened during May 11-12 in Qingdao, China. Jianping Li, the Chair of the CCEC, is one of the co-chairs of this international forum. The forum brought together approximately 120 participants from 11 countries, including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, South Korea, Nigeria, Rwanda, Pakistan, and Yemen, comprising experts, scholars, and student representatives. Over the two-day event, attendees focused on the theme of „Blue Carbon and Global-Regional Sustainable Development,“ discussing topics such as blue carbon and climate change, blue governance and ocean health under carbon neutrality, and blue carbon finance. The forum aimed to deepen multilateral exchanges and cooperation, integrate global intellectual resources, and jointly contribute blue solutions to global sustainable development.

The session was held during the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2025 at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV) in Vienna & online from 27 April to 2 May, 2025. As the Chair of the IUGG Union Commission on Climatic and Environmental Change (CCEC), Jianping Li co-organized it, which aimed to advance the prediction of complex monsoon systems and their global impacts. Presentations were invited on various aspects of monsoon research—including observations, modeling, theoretical studies, field campaigns, and AI/ML applications—to enhance our physical understanding and forecasting capabilities. For further details, please visit the session website.

Contact Information:

The following are current officers of the Commission:

Chair: Jianping Li (China)
Secretary: Tonie van Dam (Luxembourg)