The Mubadala Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences (ACCESS) is a leading research center on the climate and the environment of the Arabian peninsula and the Gulf region. It intends to bring the scientific research on local and regional climate change and environment up to speed with the rapid development of the societies and economies that dwell in the region. To this end, the Center is building observational and modeling capacity in the marine and atmospheric sector, integrating the multidisciplinary competencies present within NYU Abu Dhabi and the NYU Global Network. The Center collaborates with UAE government agencies and public stakeholders, and its scientists are part of the Climate Change Research Network (CCRN). At the same time, the Center focuses on basic scientific research (e.g., on rainfall, coral reefs, plankton dynamics, urban environments, instrument development, etc.), which is locally motivated but has global implications.