Composed of scientists and science journalists, the organization conducts scientific research on climate change and energy issues, and produces multimedia content that is distributed via their website and media partners.

[6] At a 2005 conference sponsored by the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and held in Aspen, Colorado, more than a hundred scientists, policymakers, journalists, and leaders from business, religion and civil society identified the critical need for a central authoritative source for climate change information.

A broad group of climate experts later confirmed this need during a November 2006 New York meeting convened by James Gustave Speth, Dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

At roughly the same time, in Palo Alto, California, The 11th Hour Project[7] began organizing with the mission to popularize reliable information about global warming solutions, using the power of Silicon Valley scientists, entrepreneurs, and inventors.

It inspired the idea for Climate Central, which took shape early in 2008 with seed money from The Flora Family Foundation and development funds from 11th Hour Project.