From the World Data Center Homepage:

"The World Data Center (WDC) system was created to archive and distribute data collected from the observational programs of the 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year. Originally established in the United States, Europe, Russia, and Japan, the WDC system has since expanded to other countries and to new scientific disciplines. The WDC system now includes 52 Centers in 12 countries. Its holdings include a wide range of solar, geophysical, environmental, and human dimensions data. These data cover timescales ranging from seconds to millennia and they provide baseline information for research in many ICSU disciplines, especially for monitoring changes in the geosphere and biosphere—gradual or sudden, foreseen or unexpected, natural or man-made."

If you want to know more about the WDC-System itself, have a look at the WDC System Guide.

The mission of the WDCC corresponds with the basic tasks of M&D. Data for climate research are collected, stored and disseminated in order to serve the scientific community. M&D has experience in running international data centres. The WDCC is restricted to climate data products. No raw data storage for example from satellites or climate models is planned in the WDCC itself because raw data storage on a global basis is beyond the scope of the available facilities. Emphasis is spent on climate modelling and related data products. A close cooperation with thematically corresponding data centres like Earth observation, meteorology, oceanography, pale climate and environment is planned in order to establish a complete network for climate data.

A short description for the WDC web-server can be found in the Guide to the World Data Center System.

The WDCC is maintained by Model and Data (M&D), which is hosted at the Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology, in cooperation with the German Climate Computing Centre (DKRZ).

World Data Center for Climate
Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum DKRZ GmbH
Bundesstrasse 45 a
D-20146 Hamburg

Fax: +49 (40) 460094-106
E-mail: data(at)dkrz.de (with Subject "WDCC: ……")

Since a specific WDCC portal is under development the access is performed by the standard CERA WWW-Gateway.

The WDCC is included in the CERA database system. Access to the CERA database is possible from the Internet by use of a Java- based browser. A user account is required for statistics and utilization detection. The user account can be obtained easily and free of charge from M&D (request to data(at)dkrz.de). The account permits access to the WDCC data catalogue (meta-data information of CERA) to get complete information for all available data. The WDCC browser additionally enables the user to download data sets (or parts of it) directly to a local disk.

The CERA (Climate and Environmental Retrieving and Archiving) - data archive is realised on an ORACLE database connected to a STK Silo system. Thus large data sets may be stored under control of this System while the metadata associated with CERA permit an easy way to relocate data, which have to be retrieved. Data currently accessible by CERA are time series of single variables stored in database tables or pointers to external (UNIX-) files. There will be also references to data sets, which are located within remote databases.

• User Services: A visiting scientist program exists. Data processing, copying and analysis facilities are available. Data are available on most media including CD-ROM, via Internet, and other media on request. On-line access via Worldwide Web (URL address above) is the standard method. FTP access is possible on request.
• Scientific Data Management: The WDCC is aimed at collecting, scrutinizing, and disseminating data related to climate change on all time scales. Emphasis is on data products from climate modelling and related observational data. The WDCC focuses on geo-referenced data using the operational CERA data and information system. Input is accepted in electronic form, specifics have to be discussed with the WDCC staff.
• Project Support: Project data management will be accomplished at cost price basis. Details depend on the individual project and have to be discussed with the WDCC staff.

Currently the main focus is set to climate model related data sets

• Climate model results from global and regional climate models calculated at DKRZ in Hamburg are available from the WDCC. This includes present-day climate, paleo-climate simulations and IPCC-scenario runs for the future. The ECHAM-, OPYC-, LSG-, HOPE or REMO models generate most of these data.

• The IPCC-Data Distribution Centre (DDC) is part of the WDCC. The IPCC DDC contains model results (monthly means) from different climate modelling centres (CCCma, CCSR/NIES, CSIRO, GFDL, HADLEY, MPIfM , NCAR) based on IPCC-emission scenarios (IS92, SRES).
• The CEOP CMOC is part of the WDCC. The M&D/MPIM contribution to CEOP (Co-ordinated Enhanced Observing Period) will be to incorporate the CEOP model output data into their CERA data base system through the application of the most current scientific data management techniques available and as a result they will be considered the Central CEOP Model output retention and handling Centre (CEOP-CMOC). M&D has responsibility for control of both the MOLTS and the gridded data products. Other mirror sites for either the MOLTS data and some or all of the gridded data that may be implemented possibly at UCAR/JOSS and the university of Tokyo will be established as official CEOP data Centres that secondary or subordinate to MPIM. Such sites would be set up formally only through direct knowledge of and connection with M&D/MPIM.

• Data from scientific projects become part of the WDCC and therefore accessible for the community after the results validation period. Currently the HOAPS (Hamburg Ocean Atmosphere Parameters and Fluxes from Satellite Data) and the CARIBIC (Civil Aircraft for Regular Investigation of the Atmosphere Based on an Instrumentation Container) provide data to the CERA database. In co-operation with the BSH (Hamburg) observations from WOCE (World Ocean Circulation Experiment) are integrated into CERA.

• Reanalyses data from ECMWF (ERA15) and NCAR (NECP40) are available. The new ECMWF-Reanalyses Project (ERA40) is under way and we intend to include these data when they become available. Access to ECMWF data via the CERA database system is restricted to German scientists due to regulations of the European national weather services.