The UW's Dr. Nathan J. Mantua is helping shape public policy surrounding climate issues. To understand the challenge and scope of Mantua's task, it is worth noting that atmospheric science is measured in terms of probability. There are no political rewards for taking this on. Now we've learned enough to reduce uncertainty a little bit. Weather and temperature trends serve as indicators upon which climatologists build forecasts.
Climate changes affect water supply and the availability of other natural resources.
To make predictions, Mantua integrates research across disciplines and time periods and searches for patterns. We are trying to say, 'Here's a blurred view of the future. He presented the most recent El Nino as an example of how climate forecasts can affect public policy. Scientists have gotten to the point of understanding El Nino. The science has matured.