The substantial cooperative research between IAP and IMK-IFU has lasted 26 years. It has cultivated a large number of young key scientific research persons who are now engaged in the research of terrestrial ecosystem-atmosphere exchange of carbon- and nitrogen greenhouse gases, and made a series of cooperative research achievements that are very influential in the world. For example, its discovery about the greenhouse gases emissions of steppe was published in Nature in 2010. The most important way and method of the long-term substantial scientific research between the Institute and IMK-IFU is to jointly apply for and implement research projects, and co-cultivates doctoral candidates. The CAS- Helmholtz united laboratory research project being jointly implemented by the Institute and IMK - IFU will last to 2013 during the "12th Five-Year Plan". At present, both parties are applying for the cooperative research project between the Federal Ministry of Research and Education（BMBF） of Germany and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.  

IAP has laid great importance to  strengthening the cooperation of several international research centers, and has given full play to the role of IAP-foreign joint research units. At present, there are four IAP-foreign joint research units. International Center for Climate and Environment Sciences (ICCES) and START Temperate East Asia Regional Center (START- TEA) are jointly established by IAP and international organizations. Nansen-Zhu International Research Center(NZC) and International Air Quality Model Joint Research Center (JICAM) are jointly established by IAP and foreign research institutions.  

IAP has introduced a number of outstanding senior researchers in the field of atmospheric science from foreign countries into the research activities of IAP under the Program of CAS Visiting Professorship for International Senior Scientists and Young Fellows, and by making full use of the international intelligence resources. Over the past three years, a total of 12 foreign experts have won the fund support, including Professor Phillip Jones, the winner of Nobel Prize for Peace as the lead author of IPCC and the international famous climatologist, and two other persons who have got the Foreign Young Fellow Research Fund of Natural Science Foundation of China.  

Since 2008，more members at international academic organizations has increased rapidly, with a total number of 58 person-time. Among them, Wu Guoxiong took up the post of President of IAMAS, the first Asian president ever since the establishment of the organization; He was also one of the six council members in JSC, WCRP, responsible for the decision making and the guidance of research for WCRP; Fu Congbin was elected to be the President of PSA, another Chinese to take over this position after Zhou Guangzhao, who was elected as the president of PSA in 1991.  Mu Mu was elected to be the members of the World Academy of Sciences in 2008; Wang Huijun was elected to be the member of Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research; In 2009, Zhu Jiang and Lin Zhaohui were elected to be the members in Commission on Science and　 Technology for Sustainable Development in the South; Zhu Jiang took up the post of the committee member of Consultative Committee, while Lin Zhaohui took up the post of the council member of Coordinating Council; In 2010, Liao Hong was elected to be the council member of Joint Scientific Committee of WCRP; Li Jianping was elected as the member of IUGG Honours And Recognition Committee; In 2011, Wu Guoxiong was elected to be the council member of Executive Board of ICSU following Fu Congbin; Lu Daren, Council member of  Executive Board of IAMAS; Wu Guoxiong received the honor of Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS); Wang Huijun took up the post of the President of CNC-WCRP, beside, Wang Bin was working as the WGCM member, participating in the plan-making for the model intercomparison project. WGCM has altogether 14 members, of whom Wang Bin is the only member from developing countries and it is for the first time that Chinese scientist joined in this working group.  Liao Hong is one of the leading scientists who has been invited to give the invited talks in AGU Autumn Annual Meeting as well as HTAP and “AC&C” Joint Conference. She was also the council member of JSC of AC&C Research Program and at the same time she is the lead author and invited model specialist in IPCC. Many leading scientists are serving as members at SCI/SCIE international academic journals, such as, Qie Xiushu serves as associate editor of Atmospheric Research; Jia Gensuo was norminated as the lead author for the fifth assessment report for Global Environmental Outlook; Lu Riyu serves as associated editor of Asia-Pacific Journal of Atmospheric Sciences (APJAS);  Xu Xingkai serves as the member of editorial board of international SCI journal and Wang Zifa serves as member of the editorial board of SOLA. 

IAP has carried out a number of substantial international cooperation projects, made plentiful achievements, and increased its international status. A number of leading scientists of IAP have been given honorary doctorates and honorary professors by famous foreign research institutes. Specifically, Academician Fu Congbin has been awarded the Degree of Honorary Doctorate by University of Gothenburg. Professor Huang Yao has been honoured with  visiting professor by Auburn University; In addition， Academician Shi Guangyu won Fujiwara Award, the top award of Japanese Meteorological Society, in 2008.  The project of "Grazing-induced reduction of natural nitrous oxide release from continental steppe"（MAGIM）, which is Professor Zheng Xunhua's international cooperation project with IMK-IFU, won Erwin Schrödinger Prize in 2013.