Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
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| Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |
| Abbreviation | IPCC |
| Formation | 1988 |
| Founder | United Nations Environment Programme; World Meteorological Organization |
| Headquarters | Geneva |
| Membership | Member states of the United Nations; member states of the World Meteorological Organization |
| Leader title | Chair |
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is an international body providing scientific assessments on climate change, founded to inform international decision-making and negotiation; it synthesizes research from academic institutions, national agencies, and international programs. The organization links assessments to processes led by the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization and has shaped deliberations at summits and treaties involving the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. Major outputs influence policy fora such as meetings of the G7, G20, European Commission, and national ministries in capitals like Washington, London, Beijing, and New Delhi.
History and Establishment
The panel was created in 1988 by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization amid scientific work from institutions including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Hadley Centre, the Max Planck Institute, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Its establishment followed conferences and reports involving actors such as the Royal Society, the American Geophysical Union, the National Academy of Sciences, and the International Council for Science, and was contemporaneous with negotiations under the United Nations General Assembly and the Commission on Sustainable Development. Early chairs and bureau members included scientists affiliated with universities such as Cambridge, MIT, Columbia, Princeton, and Stanford, and agencies such as the European Commission Directorate-General and Japan Meteorological Agency.
Structure and Governance
Governance is set by member states drawn from the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization, with leadership roles held by a Chair, Vice-Chairs, and Working Group Co-Chairs who often come from institutions like the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and the Indian Institute of Science. The Secretariat operates alongside staff seconded from agencies such as the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Meteorological Organization, the UK Met Office, and national meteorological services like NOAA, Environment Canada, and the Bureau of Meteorology. Plenary sessions bring delegates from ministries of foreign affairs, environment, and science from capitals such as Brasília, Canberra, Ottawa, Pretoria, Seoul, and Moscow, and observers from organizations like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Union.
Assessment Reports and Special Reports
The panel issues comprehensive Assessment Reports and targeted Special Reports that synthesize peer-reviewed studies published in journals including Nature, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Geophysical Research Letters, and draw on datasets from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, the Global Carbon Project, and the International Energy Agency. Assessment cycles have produced landmark syntheses referenced in negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement, and the Marrakech Accords; they have informed policy instruments pursued by the European Union, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, China’s National Development and Reform Commission, and India’s NITI Aayog. Special Reports on topics such as global warming of 1.5 °C, land use, and oceans and cryosphere have engaged stakeholders including the Inter-American Development Bank, the Green Climate Fund, the Gates Foundation, and regional bodies such as ASEAN and the Arctic Council.
Methodology and Working Groups
Work is organized into Working Group I, Working Group II, and Working Group III, each coordinated by co-chairs and technical support units with contributors from universities like Oxford, Yale, ETH Zurich, and Peking University, and research centers such as CSIRO, CIAT, and IIASA. Methodological guidance draws on protocols developed by the IPCC Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, measurement programs such as FLUXNET, and modeling efforts including CMIP, REMIND, MESSAGE, and IMAGE; synthesis integrates outputs from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and datasets maintained by NASA, ESA, and the World Data Centre for Climate. Authors and reviewers include holders of awards like the Crafoord Prize, the Nobel Prize laureates in related fields, and members of academies such as the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Role in Policy and Global Impact
Findings have been cited in international treaties and conferences including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations, the Paris Agreement adoption, and agendas at the United Nations General Assembly, influencing national legislation in jurisdictions such as the European Parliament, the US Congress, the National People's Congress of China, and parliaments in Germany, Japan, and Brazil. The panel’s reports inform frameworks used by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the United Nations Development Programme for climate finance, adaptation planning, and mitigation strategies implemented by ministries and agencies including the Department of Energy, Ministry of Finance, and national environment agencies. Its assessments shape industry standards and corporate disclosures influenced by bodies such as the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, the Green Climate Fund, and multilateral development banks.
Criticisms and Controversies
The panel has faced critique from policymakers and scientists over issues raised in reviews by actors such as the UK Parliamentary Committee, the US Government Accountability Office, and commentaries in journals like Nature and Science, concerning treatment of uncertainty, error corrections involving institutions such as the University of East Anglia, and perceived slow response to emerging literatures from fields represented by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and national academies. Debates have involved stakeholders including think tanks like the World Resources Institute, the Cato Institute, Greenpeace, and the Sierra Club, and legal challenges and inquiries in courts and legislative hearings in Washington, London, Canberra, and Delhi. Reforms and procedural changes have been implemented drawing on recommendations from commissions chaired by figures associated with bodies like the Royal Society, the National Research Council, and the International Science Council to strengthen review processes and transparency.