Workshop on Indian Ocean-Monsoon Climate: Annual to Decadal Variability, Mechanisms and Predictability (IOMC)

Scientific Statement of the workshop
Effective long-term adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate variability depend on reliable climate predictions. Such predictions can offer valuable guidance to policymakers and stakeholders, enabling informed decisions to be made years to decades in advance. As a result, decadal climate variability and prediction has gained growing attention in recent years. In the early 2000s, the rate of global surface warming appeared to slow, especially in certain regions. This slowdown highlighted the role of decadal climate variability, which can temporarily influence long-term warming driven by human activities.

हिंदी महासागर-मानसून जलवायु पर कार्यशाला : वार्षिक से दशकीय परिवर्तनशीलता क्रियाविधिया और पूर्वानुमान क्षमता

दिनांक 19-22 मई 2026 के दौरान आईआईटीएम, पुणे
The event was often described as a “pause” or “hiatus” in global warming and it was linked to natural, multi-year variations in the climate system, particularly interactions between the ocean and atmosphere in the tropical Pacific. Decadal climate variability is influenced by many factors, including natural and human-driven forcing and internal interactions within the climate system. Oceans play a central role in this variability because they can store and transport large amounts of heat over long periods. Changes in how the ocean absorbs and redistributes heat are closely linked to decadal changes in both regional and global surface temperatures.

Aims & Beneficiaries and Objectives & Outcome.

In this workshop, a series of invited talks on annual to decadal variability and the prediction of Indian Ocean climate and the monsoon will be delivered by leading experts. These lectures will provide students and early-career researchers with a comprehensive understanding of key physical processes, observational evidence, and modelling approaches used in climate variability and prediction studies as well as learning of the gap areas where they can avail research opportunities.

Bridges weather and climate change timescales

Decadal variability and prediction fill the gap between seasonal forecasts and long-term climate projections, providing information that is directly relevant for near-term planning and policy decisions.

Supports risk reduction and resource management

Skillful decadal predictions help governments and stakeholders manage water resources, agriculture, energy systems, and disaster preparedness by anticipating prolonged wet, dry, warm, or cool periods.

Improves understanding of climate processes

Studying decadal variability enhances knowledge of ocean–atmosphere interactions, internal climate dynamics, and feedback mechanisms that shape regional and global climate behavior

Informs adaptation and resilience strategies

Reliable decadal predictions enable societies to design climate-resilient infrastructure, adapt agricultural practices, and reduce socioeconomic impacts associated with climate extremes and long-term variability.

Important subthemes of the workshop

Exploring the characteristics, sources, and impacts of climate variability across annual to decadal timescales.

Subtheme 1: Annual-to-Decadal Variability and Predictability of the Indian Ocean Climate

Subtheme 2: Annual-to-Decadal Prediction of the Indian Summer Monsoon: Variability, Extremes, Onset–Withdrawal, and Dynamical Processes

Subtheme 3: Recent Advances in Coupled Climate Modelling Systems and Their Skill in Annual-to-Decadal Prediction

Subtheme 4: Applications of decadal Climate Predictions for Societal Sectors: Agriculture, Water Resources, Energy, Health, and Disaster Risk Reduction

Subtheme 5: Key Physical Mechanisms and Processes Shaping Natural Decadal Climate Variability

Registration Opens

11 April 2026

Registration & Abstract Submission Opens on

11 April 2026

Abstract submission closes on

24 April 2026

Abstract Acceptance

30 April 2026

Payment

01 May 2026

Payment Closed on

15 May 2026