date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 12:17:46 +0100 from: "Ian Dwyer" subject: Ministers to: Mike Attached is a draft letter (and enclosure) to ministers, inviting them to the opening. Could you have a look to make sure it is ok? If you can do this today, it would be particularly helpful. In particular, note the reference to dates. Would you be content if ministers chose a date after COP6? I am a little worried about the mention of abrupt climate change (Ursula got this from speaking to you, apparently). A proposal (to NERC) is being written for a multi-million pound programme investigating the processes involved, and even then there is debate about whether it can go as far as assigning probabilities. Thus, I am concerned because I can't see how the centre will not have the resources/remit for the amount of uni-disciplined, process modelling required, and it may look as if NERC is funding this twice. Can we, instead, refer to changing frequencies of extreme weather events, say? Thanks for the annexes Ian ------------------------------------------------------------- Ian Dwyer Global Change Coordinator Natural Environment Research Council Polaris House North Star Avenue Swindon SN2 1EU Tel: 01793 411511 Fax: 01793 411584 email: i.dwyer@nerc.ac.uk Attachment Converted: "c:\eudora\attach\Climate centre. Opening. Invite to Ministers_1.d"