New Climate Research Center in Asheville
The Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites-NC (CICS -NC) will use global satellite data to provide the most detailed information about climate change available. Announced in May of 2009, CICS-NC is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a consortium of academic, non-profit and community organizations with leadership from North Carolina State University and the University of Maryland.
Climate change is creating a dynamic environment for decision makers at all levels.
Federal agencies, policy makers, regional, state and local leaders are all having to make important decisions that will significantly impact our way of life for years to come. Asheville is home to many of our Nation's key climate-related assets - all working to develop the data and information needed to make informed decisions, from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center to the strategic climate information services for the Department of Defense.
Research to Operations: Providing Meaningful Climate Information
NOAA's NCDC houses an immense amount of weather and climate data. In their raw form, these data are meaningful to select scientists and researchers. However, the public investment made in acquiring these, and future data sets, will not be fully realized until application-based research helps produce meaningful information from the archived data. Collaborative research partnerships, such as the Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites are working in Asheville to provide outstanding research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students while ensuring that the public investment in climate data results in products and services that address the national need.
Climate Change is Challenging Business to Plan for the Unknown
In this environment of both risk and opportunity, corporate leaders are faced with making long-term strategic decisions without knowledge of how state and federal policy will impact their future operations. Asheville is attracting companies that see this time as an outstanding opportunity to enhance or expand their current operations. CECI works with local, state, and regional leaders to build a collaborative partnership that actively supports the growth of science and technology-related businesses in the Asheville area.
