Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) - First Science Conference
World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) - China Meteorological Administration

11-15 April 2005
Beijing, China

BACKGROUND
As a core project of the World Climate Research Programme, the "Climate and Cryosphere (CliC)" project encourages and promotes research into the cryosphere and its interactions as part of the global climate system.

The project's principal goal is to assess and quantify the impacts that climatic variability and change have on components of the cryosphere and the consequences of these impacts for the climate system, and to determine the stability of the global cryosphere. To support this goal, CliC seeks to enhance and coordinate efforts to monitor the cryosphere, to study climate-related processes involving the cryosphere, and to model and understand its role in the climate system.

FORMAT AND THEMES
The conference will include oral presentations of invited keynote lectures and contributed papers, poster sessions to allow presentation of a wide range of relevant studies, and workshop sessions to address future research directions. We invite papers that contribute to the conference goals and address topics in the CliC Science and Coordination Plan and the CliC Implementation Strategy.

Preliminary conference topics include:
- Meteorology and hydrology of cold regions, including solid precipitation and snow-cover processes
- Permafrost and frozen ground processes
- Polar oceans and the marine cryosphere including sea ice, ice shelves, and ice bergs
- Glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets, and their contribution to sea level change
- Interactions between the cryosphere and global climate, including mechanisms for abrupt climate change
- The stability of the global cryosphere
- Observations and monitoring of the cryosphere
- Cryospheric indicators of climate change
- Prediction of the future state of the cryosphere and its influence on climate predictability
- Cryospheric data management
- Practical and scientific applications of cryosphere/climate research
- Economic and social impact of changes in the cryosphere
- Cooperation in studies and observations of cryosphere and climate
- National and international research initiatives on the cryosphere and its role in climate and human activities

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
Contributions are solicited on any research topic related to the cryosphere and its role in the climate system and to the conference goals. The conference goals are available at:
http://clic.npolar.no/meetings/first/conf.php#goals

Abstract submission can be done via the submission website:
http://clic.npolar.no/meetings/first/submission.php

Due to the late announcement of conditions for Travel Support Grants to help Young Scientists and Graduate Students attend this conference, the abstract submission deadline for the First CliC Science conference has been extended to 18 DECEMBER 2004.
Full details about the conference and applications for travel support can be found on the conference website at http://www.clic2005.org.

AUDIENCE
The CliC First Science Conference is intended for scientists, managers, and students, as well as representatives of governments, the media, and funding organizations. The conference format provides an opportunity to discuss cooperation between groups and initiatives such as the International Polar Year 2007/08. WCRP CliC is not a funding body, but it provides a mechanism for facilitating coordination and cooperation in research on cryosphere and climate interactions.

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Depending on the number of suitable manuscripts submitted, the proceedings will be published as separate volumes or special sections of one or more fully-refereed journals.

LOGISTICS AND FEES
A range of accommodations, from student hostels to five star hotels, will be offered. Details of this and other logistics (hotel rates, visas, transport, registration fees, etc.) will appear on the conference website as soon as they become available. A special rate fee for student presenters, researchers from developing nations, and nations with economies in transition is under consideration.

SPONSORS
World Climate Research Programme
China Meteorological Organization
Chinese Academy of Sciences
CliC International Project
Office Norwegian Polar Institute

For further information, visit the conference website at:
http://clic.npolar.no/meetings/first/

or contact:
CliC International Project Office
The Polar Environmental Centre
NO-9296 Tromsø
Norway
Phone: +47 77 75 01 50
E-mail: (clic@npolar.no)