The KEY objectives of ECRA are to:
- Accelerate the development of climate change research by conceiving and implementing Collaborative Programmes of research, combining capacities of research institutions and maximising complementarities and synergies, including collaboration with international partners.
- Work towards a long term, durable integration of excellent but dispersed research capacities across Europe, optimising the use of resources, building additional research capacity and developing a comprehensive range of pan-European research infrastructures.
- Strengthen Europe's capacity to initiate and execute large fundamental and comprehensive research and development programmes in climate science.
- Develop training, education and outreach activities, encouraging researcher mobility and providing a training environment for PhD students and other scientists in strategic climate sectors.
- Develop links and sustained partnerships with industry to strengthen the interplay between research outcomes and innovation and to foster the early take-up of promising results.
- Provide advice to policy and public in respect to climate change.
The following Collaborative Programmes have been initiated in ECRA:
- Arctic Climate Stability and Change in collaboration with the European Polar Board
- Sea Level Change and Coastal Impacts
- High Impact Events and Climate Change
- Changes in the Hydrological Cycle in collaboration with HyMex
Ralf Döscher from the Rossby Centre is the swedish representative at the ECRA Executive Committee which, amongst others, is responsible for the selection of topics and launch of Collaborative Programmes, the work across different Collaborative Programmes, the approval of the ECRA membership and link to external stakeholders.