Societal Impacts of Weather & Climate

Weather and climate affect all segments of society, from transportation systems to agriculture and from land-use decisions to public safety. Researchers in NCAR's Societal-Environmental Research and Education Laboratory work to better understand these impacts and to help decision makers anticipate and respond to them.

Some programs focus on planning and policy responses. For example, social scientists and climatologists work with policy makers on how to reduce the impacts of natural disasters and prepare society for warming temperatures and other likely effects of climate change.

Other efforts are geared toward transferring expertise from research to practical tools. For example, scientists and technicians develop systems to warn aircraft away from weather hazards and guide road crews that clear winter highways. To help officials protect the public, another NCAR team is strengthening technology to detect and track toxic substances released into the air, whether deliberately or accidentally.

Highlighted Topics

• Understanding Interactions Between People, Climate, and the Environment

  NCAR scientists study the complex interactions among human societies, weather and climate, and Earth's ecosystems.



• Capacity Building: Coping with Climate and Weather Hazards

  With an eye to helping societies understand, mitigate, and adapt to weather and climate phenomena, NCAR directs inter- and multidisciplinary programs that serve academics, leaders in business and government, and ordinary citizens.



• Methods, Products, and Tools

  Sharing climate and weather assessment methods and tools across organizations—research, political, private—can enhance dialogue, thereby speeding time to identifying solutions to common environmental issues.



• Cultivating Societal-Scientific Collaboration

  NCAR’s research and outreach efforts bridge the gap between atmospheric and related sciences and societal decisions.