Climate change research the target of new $35M fund

Montreal, QC – The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has a new fund totalling $35 million that will support climate change and atmospheric research at Canada’s post-secondary institutions.

The program, called the Climate Change and Atmospheric Research Initiative (CCAR) will award grants of up to $5 million over a maximum of five years to large, integrated projects involving university researchers, Canadian government scientists, and partner organizations.

“This initiative is designed to address identified national research priorities, including some global challenges,” said Suzanne Fortier, president of NSERC. “Scientific research is a vital component of understanding and mitigating the social, economic and environmental impacts of climate change that are being experienced in the Arctic and throughout the country.”

Research proposals for CCAR funding must cover one of the following three themes:

– Understanding Earth system processes and their representation in weather, climate and atmospheric chemistry models;

– Advancing weather, climate and environmental prediction; and/or

– Understanding recent changes in the Arctic and cold region environments.

Applicants must submit letters of intent by May 17, 2012, for a preliminary evaluation of their proposals. Those invited to submit full applications will go through a competitive peer review process culminating in the grants being awarded in late 2012.

More information is available at http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/Grants-Subs/CCAR-RCCA_eng.asp.