Overview
ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes (CLEX) was established in 2017 and funded by the Australian Research Council as a multi-institutional research centre. It was the world’s first centre dedicated to climate extremes, with a mission to improve understanding and prediction of extreme weather and climate events.
Mission and focus areas
CLEX focused on advancing knowledge of the processes driving climate extremes, including droughts, heatwaves, rainfall and ocean extremes. Its research combined atmospheric, oceanic and land system science with advanced modelling to improve prediction capabilities and inform resilience planning.
The centre contributed to climate risk assessment by producing evidence relevant to economic planning, infrastructure resilience and policy development. Its work supports ESG and sustainable finance by enabling better evaluation of climate-related risks, particularly those linked to physical climate impacts and extreme events.
Structure and governance
CLEX operated as a consortium of five Australian universities, including the University of New South Wales, Monash University and the Australian National University, alongside national and international partners.
It was led by a director and a network of chief and partner investigators across institutions, supported by collaborative research programs and specialist teams in modelling and data infrastructure.
Programs and offerings
The centre produced peer-reviewed research, reports, briefing notes and inquiry submissions on climate extremes and their impacts. It also developed advanced modelling systems and contributed to national infrastructure such as high-performance computing and climate simulation tools.
CLEX delivered graduate and early-career researcher programs, fostering expertise in climate science and modelling. Its outputs provide valuable insights for policymakers, industry and finance professionals assessing climate risk, supporting evidence-based decision-making and long-term resilience planning.
