In the Global Climate division, large-scale climate variability is studied, including the effects of climate change. The research activities in the group focus on quantifying decadal to centennial climate variability, studying feedbacks in the earth system, development of global climate scenario’s and development of monthly, seasonal and decadal predictions. The group maintains global climate models of intermediate complexity and develops a state-of-the-art earth system model (EC-EARTH) as research tool and as tool for developing climate scenario’s. The group is internationally recognized in the fields of climate extremes, thermohaline circulation, tropical variability, atmospheric dynamics and land processes.