Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace

Climate Sciences

A multidisciplinary institute meeting major challenges

The Institute Pierre-Simon Laplace supports regional scientific exchanges based on its strengths in the climate sciences, climate modelling, high-level observation programmes in space missions, international observation networks (at sea and on land), comparative planetology studies, new methods of processing, storing and distributing data and results at the leading edge of science.

Since its creation, IPSL has forged strong links with other disciplines (health, energy, economy, agriculture, social sciences, technology) through projects and has established a regional doctoral school, all built on the basis of collegiality and flexibility which boosts intellectual productivity and promotes the reputations of the laboratories.

The role of IPSL in the community of nations

The work of IPSL concerns the climate of Earth as well as that of the planets, its interactions with the environment and climate change. IPSL is a world-class centre for research and training on these topics. It is a source of expertise and acts as a reference for the government, communities, universities, scientific organisations, and other regional, national or international players.

IPSL contributes to international climate research coordination bodies (WCRP, Future Earth, etc.) and contributes to “North and South” international cooperation and exchanges on science, education and science-society issues involving the public and stakeholders.
Along with other organisations based in the greater Paris region, IPSL instigates and coordinates a common strategy on observation, modelling and data.

The objectives of IPSL

Coordination tools have been established to help IPSL achieve its objectives:
To develop and coordinate an innovative and transversal research programme on the climate of the Earth and of the planets, its interactions with the environment and climate change.

To coordinate, in conjunction with its governing universities and partners, a coherent educational programme on climate and climate change for students and the professional world.

To coordinate the development of IPSL climate models, especially in global, regional, and Earth system configurations, to expand on their applications for the study of past, present and future climates and to create climate models for other planets.

To coordinate the approaches of laboratories and observatories on observations, in particular for major campaigns and long time-series measurements, and to lead strategic reflection on scientific and technical activities around space missions for the study of climate, and on instrument development.

To develop and propose a set of regional, national and international IT research services related to the storage and use of environmental and climate data.

To define and deploy a communication strategy (institutional, internal, external and digital) and a mediation strategy to promote the scientific activities of IPSL at national and international levels; to create a communication strategy in partnership with the governing authorities; to design and organise a series of events to mediate between science and society and to provide resources to a large and diverse audience.

IPSL is supported by a range of national resources (for calculation, measurements, data), such as the CLIMERI-France and DATA-TERRA research infrastructures, the associated poles (AERIS) and observation platforms and services. The IPSL space strategy is established in association with CNES and other space agencies.

IPSL also coordinates various laboratory initiatives to assess and minimise its environmental footprint.