In response to the rapid pace of scientific advances and recognizing the need for the project to be flexible and responsive to new ideas and challenges, CLIVAR has developed the concept of Research Foci (RF). These are focused research activities on topics (1) with high potential for significant progress in a 3-5 year time-scale, and (2) that would benefit from enhanced international coordination.

The Southern Ocean Freshwater Input from Antarctica (SOFIA) Initiative: scientific objectives and experimental design