As Earth's systems change at an unprecedented rate, it is becoming harder to model seemingly unconnected phenomena such as atmospheric processes and coastal-zone economies. Tight budget constraints make the situation worse. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has therefore developed a unified modelling strategy that will work for the entire agency.

Unified modelling provides a common framework for interoperability across disciplines (even if they are using different information) by applying the appropriate number of models to a similar set of tasks and requirements (see go.nature.com/2vmzhqo). For example, the modelling enables seamless integration of weather-to-climate predictions — crucial for modernizing the US National Weather Service's operational models. It also allows the projection of productivities for fisheries under different climate-change scenarios. The breadth of this applicability, from research to operations, will benefit NOAA's partners and the public.

Our unified approach will also optimize modelling costs and resources. It will help to achieve a critical integrated mass for improving the NOAA modelling enterprise as it moves towards prediction of the full Earth system.