The CLimatoLogy Research Programme of the Commi ssion of the European Communities started in 1980 after a few years of preparation which foLLowed the concern caused by the European drought of 1976. It was mainLy a concern about European Land and water resources, which then as never before appeared threatened by cLimate vagaries. It was mainLy an economic concern which Led the Commmission to propose, and the CounciL to adopt, a five-year piLot research programme which in the meantime has proved to be both usefuL and successfuL. The best speciaLists in many interreLated fieLds were brought together for the first time to join into a unique cooperation effort in the area of European cLimatoLogicaL research. The programme aLso enjoyed the efficient and competent cooperation of an Advisory Committee for Programme Management (ACPM) which, being essentiaLLy composed of cLimatoLogists, proved to be a scientific body of high quaLity, whose work has been one of the factors for the success of the programme.
The Advisory Committee shared with the Services of the Commission the responsibiLity of preparing a Review Symposium, thought to be the best means of coLLecting and presenting the resuLts of the research performed during 1980-1984. This voLume contains the proceedings of that Review Symposium of the EC CLimatoLogy Research Programme, organized by the Directorate GeneraL of Science, Research and DeveLopment jointLy with the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Geodynamiques et Astronomiques (CERGA) at Sophia AntipoLis, France, 2-5 October 1984.