After a positive recommendation by the European Commission on 21 October, during the 2nd meeting of the Governing Board from 7-8 November in Bologna, a start was made with the development of an Implementation Plan for the Joint Programming Initiative Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe.

Knowledge for Climate has significantly contributed to the development of JPI Climate, inter alia, by developing a Vision document and contributing to the Strategic Research Agenda. The Netherlands is represented in the Governing Board by Frans Berkhout (IVM/VU) and Rob Schoonman (Ministry Infrastructure and Environment). (more details about the governance structure). Rob Swart (Alterra) leads one of the four working groups, focusing on support tools for climate change decision making. The other three working groups address decadal predictions, research in support of climate services, and societal transformations. A crosscutting activity will focus on communication of climate science and associated uncertainties.

The aim of Joint Programming is to increase the value of relevant national and EU R&D funding by concerted and joint planning, implementation and evaluation of national research programmes.

Joint Programming Initiative Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe (JPI Climate, http://www.jpi-climate.eu/)