The Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences (CFCAS) is Canada's main funding body for university-based research on climate, atmospheric and related oceanic work. As an autonomous, charitable foundation established in 2000, CFCAS funds research that improves the scientific understanding of processes and predictions, provides relevant science to policy makers and improves understanding of the ways in which these challenges affect human health and the natural environment in addition to strengthening Canada's scientific capacity.[1] Its chair is Gordon McBean.
CFCAS fosters partnerships in support of innovation, investment, policy, skills development and service delivery. It funds the generation of new knowledge that is essential to the competitiveness of industries and to the health and safety of Canadians. The foundation has invested over $117 million in university-based research related to climate and atmospheric sciences, in 24 collaborative networks, 2 major initiatives, and 158 projects. Several of the networks are linked to international research programs; all involved multiple partners. Complementary (leveraged) support for networks has doubled the resources available to them. The Foundation has also hosted or co-hosted a number of workshops and symposia on topics such as extreme weather and Arctic climate, and provides support to international project offices.
Research funded by CFCAS informs decision- and policy-makers in government and industry, including those working in: