Interdisciplinary research and integration: The case of CO2 and climate

The possibility that increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations may lead to significant climate changes poses a problem of unusual breath and complexity to society. Research on this problem, and on ways society can respond to it, needs to be carefully organized and managed in an interdisciplinary and flexible manner. New means of integrating research results and ensuring their usefulness for policy decisions must be explored. Research on the CO₂ problem should also be closely ‘tied-in’ with research on other social and environmental issues. The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Climate Board or the National Academy of Sciences.