The general objectives of ICCS are focussed research on state specific impacts of climate change on water, agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, sea level rise, natural hazards, health and socio-economic scenario of the State; and propose appropriate action for climate change management and adaptation strategy on various sectors and zones of the State. The specific objectives of ICCS incidental or ancillary to the attainment of the general objectives are:

1. To act as the State level apex agency for climate change research and advocacy
2. To assist the Government of Kerala in achieving coherence between strategies on climate change and help in the implementation of the State Action Plan on Climate Change
3. Be an interdisciplinary research organization to conduct basic and applied research focused on the State’s climate, ecosystem and other environmental matters particularly connected to the Western Ghats and to promote indigenous knowledge for climate change adaptation.
4. To assist the Government of Kerala in prioritizing financial allocation for Climate change adaptation and resilience building.
5. To be the knowledge centre of best practices for climate change adaptation and to be the state level apex repository of climatic data and resource centre for devising mitigation and adaptation policies and for the implementation of those provisions and actions given in the State