The roles of surface gravity wave-driven processes in the climate system are being increasingly recognized. This includes both the effects of climate variability and change on the characteristics of the wave field and consequent impacts on coastal and offshore environments and infrastructure, and the influence of waves on the dynamics of the atmospheric and ocean boundary layers and consequent feedbacks. Wind waves also affect basic physical processes such as heat, momentum and mass exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere. Wind waves generate additional turbulence in the ocean, modify ocean currents, and control the state of the sea surface. All these processes affect the air-sea exchanging processes, general circulation patterns, and have an impact in the wind in the atmosphere, changing the turbulence structures in the lower troposphere over the ocean. Following the outcome from the CMIP3 and CMIP5 projects, several studies of past and future of wave climate have been conducted, based on global climate and Earth system models. Single- and multi-model ensembles of historical and future wave climate projections, done under the auspices of the Coordinated Ocean Wave Climate Project (COWCLIP), are being generated to assess the evolution of the present wave climate and its correspondent evolution in the future. Some recent developments also introduce wave-driven processes into fully coupled Earth system model.

We welcome researchers to discuss trends and variability in the historical and future projections of wave climate on global and regional scales. Aspects of the building of wave reanalyses and hindcasts, future projections, downscaling and evaluation of model results by observations are also welcome. We encourage contributors to discuss further understanding of the mechanisms behind significant impact of wind wave on the Earth's system dynamics. This session aims to bring together climate and wave researchers to access the role of wind waves in the Earth climate, and discuss possible implications of wave-driven effects in coupled Earth system models