Basic and applied research devoted to all aspects of climate – past, present and future. Investigation of the reciprocal influences between climate and organisms (including climate effects on individuals, populations, ecological communities and entire ecosystems), as well as between climate and human societies. CR invites high-quality Research Articles, Reviews, Notes and Comments/Reply Comments (see Clim Res 20:187), CR SPECIALS and Opinion Pieces. For details see the Guidelines for Authors. Papers may be concerned with:-Interactions of climate with organisms, populations, ecosystems, and human societies-Short- and long-term changes in climatic elements, such as humidity and precipitation, temperature, wind velocity and storms, radiation, carbon dioxide, trace gases, ozone, UV radiation-Human reactions to climate change; health, morbidity and mortality; clothing and climate; indoor climate management-Climate effects on biotic diversity. Paleoecology, species abundance and extinction, natural resources and water levels-Historical case studies, including paleoecology and paleoclimatology-Analysis of extreme climatic events, their physicochemical properties and their time–space dynamics. Climatic hazards-Land-surface climatology. Soil degradation, deforestation, desertification-Assessment and implementation of adaptations and response options-Applications of climate models and modelled future climate scenarios. Methodology in model development and application