The New York Times has criticised Australia for turning its back on climate science, saying the CSIRO's decision to move away from monitoring the changing climate is "deplorable".

In an editorial titled Australia Turns Its Back on Climate Science, the Times said the federally-funded science agency's shift in focus made no sense.

"To do this at the expense of research and monitoring — undermining the search for commercially viable solutions that CSIRO proposes to join — makes no sense," the editorial said.

"Long-term research on carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, and on changing ocean and weather processes, is essential to learn what lies ahead and how to prepare for it."

The CSIRO's new chief executive Larry Marshall, a former Silicon Valley venture capitalist, announced the shake-up in February.

The plan, which involves reassigning hundreds of researchers and likely redundancies, came after $110 million was slashed from the organisation's budget in 2014, a decision that sparked national protests.

Thousands of scientists signed an open letter protesting the changes.

The Times said the cuts could affect Australia's role in supporting the landmark climate agreement reached in Paris in December.

"The decision ... demonstrates a deplorable misunderstanding of the importance of basic research into what is arguably the greatest challenge facing the planet," the Times editorial said.

The CSIRO's shake-up of its Oceans and Atmosphere and Land and Water divisions have drawn the ire of scientific and meteorological organisations around the world.

The World Meteorological Organisation released an unprecedented statement last month condemning the decision.

"Normally as a UN agency we would never intervene or interfere like this, but this is just so startling and so devastating that we have to take this stand," director Dr Dave Carlson said.

Dr Marshall has said there will not be a net loss of jobs due to the restructure.

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