Extracting the CRU CL v.2.0 data using the getCRUCLdata R package
I used the getCRUCLdata R package, a climatology data client developed by Adam Sparks, for extracting the CRU CL v.2.0 climate datasets using R. I intended to utilise the CRU CL v.2.0 climate data layers for subsequent analysis of the spatial determinants of land cover change, particularly the expansion of rubber plantations in mainland Southeast Asia.
I opted to use the CRU CL v.2.0 climate dataaset (1961–1990 period), as opposed to the more recent CRU TS v.4.03 gridded time-series dataset, given the former's higher spatial resolution at 10'x10' compared to the latter's coarser 0.5°x0.5° spatial resolution.
For more information about the CRU CL v.2.0 climate datasets, please see the paper by New et al. (2002) published in Climate Research. The high-resolution gridded climate datasets published the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia can be found through this link.