Supplementary memorandum submitted by
Mr David Warrilow, Head of Science Policy, Global Atmosphere Division,
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions following
the evidence session of 20 December 2000
We undertook to advise the Committee on the
disciplines of scientists working at the Hadley Centre and those
that they worked with. The Committee also asked us to give an
indication of our plans for the future.[2]
Of the 78 graduates at the Hadley Centre, the
majority have degrees in maths and physics with a few in environmental
science, geography and other related disciplines. One member of
staff has an MSc in Ocean Biology and Physics. This is largely
to be expected as the predominant work of the Hadley Centre is
and has been physical process modelling. Modelling efforts are
very largely a mathematical activity. However, over the years
the biological processes in the model have been developed in collaboration
with the leading six biologists and ecologists at other institutes.
A number of the staff at these institutes are
actually funded by DETR through the Hadley Centre and they contribute
to the development of biological processes both in the ocean and
on the land surface. This has been an effective way of developing
biological processes in the model and has so far worked very successfully.
The Hadley Centre has been at the forefront of Climate modelling
work on the interaction of biological processes on the climate
system, including one paper published very recently on carbon
cycle feedback in the peer reviewed journal Nature.
Our plans for the next two years retain this
approach. We will be developing the biological processes further
and will continue to work in partnership with experts in other
organisations. If a clear need for intramural staff with expertise
in the biological sciences arises then we will of course address
that.
26 January 2001
2 Q133. Back
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