IPCC Products, Procedures
and Processes
Amsterdam, 14 May 2010
Dr. Renate Christ, Secretary of the IPCC
Principles Governing IPCC Work
• Intergovernmental body
• Comprehensive, objective, open and transparent
assessments
• Neutral with respect to policy
• need to deal objectively with scientific, technical and
socio-economic factors relevant to the application of
particular policies
• Review is an essential part of the IPCC process
• Does not carry out research or monitoring
Appendices to IPCC Principles
A: PROCEDURES FOR THE PREPARATION, REVIEW,
ACCEPTANCE, ADOPTION, APPROVAL AND
PUBLICATION OF IPCC REPORTS
B:FINANCIAL PROCEDURES FOR THE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE
CHANGE (IPCC)
WMO Financial Regulations
C: RULES OF PROCEDURES FOR ELECTION OF THE
IPCC BUREAU AND ANY TASK FORCE BUREAU
Initial Steps of the Process
 Decision by the Panel, proposal by member country, or
request from outside e.g. Convention
 Scoping process, scoping meeting(s)
• Availability of scientific technical literature
• Lessons learnt from past reports, and user needs
• Comments from governments, experts, organizations
 Approval of scope and outline by the Panel
Authors’ selection
 Call for nominations from governments/organizations
 Selection of Authors (CLA, LA) and Review Editors (RE)
by Bureau – based on clear criteria
 Enlisting of Contributing Authors by Lead Authors
Writing and Review Process

Assessment of available scientific technical and socioeconomic literature with emphasis on peer-reviewed
literature. For non-peer reviewed literature, specific
procedures apply.


Preparation of the 1st order draft
First review - by experts

Preparation of the 2nd order draft
•
•
Written record on how comments were addressed
Review Editors to ensure that all comments are addressed.

Second review - by governments and experts

Preparation of the final draft
Approval/acceptance/adoption
 Final draft Report and draft SPM are circulated to
governments and IPCC observer organizations.
Governments are invited to comment on the SPM.
 Approval of the SPM line by line by governments and
Acceptance of the underlying report in plenary Session.
• CLAs and LAs are present during the approval Session to
ensure consistency of SPM and the underlying assessment
report.
 Adoption/approval of the Synthesis Report
IPCC
Writing
and
Review
Process
IPCC Plenary
IPCC
Secretariat
IPCC Bureau
Working
Group I
Working
Group II
Working
Group III
The Physical
Science
Basis
Vulnerability
Impacts
Adaptation
Mitigation of
Climate
Change
Task Force
on National
Greenhouse
Gas
Inventories
TSU
TSU
TSU
TSU
Authors
Contributors
Reviewers
Review
Editors
Authors
Contributors
Reviewers
Review
Editors
Authors
Contributors
Reviewers
Review
Editors
Authors
Contributors
Reviewers
Review
Editors
Plenary
approved
work
programme
and budget
IPCC
Secretariat
IPCC
Trust
Fund
Voluntary
contributions
from
governments
Oversee implementation of workprogramme, assist Chair,
Meeting costs, including DSA/travel support for DC EIT authors
logistics, documentation and reports for sessions and meetings,
DC Co-chair support IPCC Secretariat Staff,
liaison with governments, UN and other organizations
Publication, interpretation, translation outreach
Information and outreach programme, manage IPCC Trust Fund
Working
Group I
Working
Group II
Working
Group III
TSU
TSU
TSU
TFI
TSU
Completed IPCC Reports
• 4 Assessment Reports (1990,1995, 2001, 2007)
• 1992 Supplementary Report and 1994 Special Report
• 7 Special Reports (1997,1999, 2000, 2005)
• Guidelines for National GHG Inventories, Good Practice
Guidance (1995-2006)
• 6 Technical Papers (1996-2008)
IPCC an
Intergovernmental Body
Amsterdam, 14 May 2010
Dr. Renate Christ, Secretary of the IPCC
Why was the IPCC created?
1988 by WMO and UNEP
•
Provide objective, balanced, internationally
coordinated scientific assessment on risks of
human induced climate change and potential socioeconomic impacts
•
Formulate realistic response strategies
UNGA 43 requested an “interim report” and
recommendations
IPCC and the Policy Process
• 1990 UNGA 45 established INC after IPCC FAR was
presented
• 1992 Supplementary Report - to support INC
• UNFCCC adopted in 1992, entry into force 1994
• SAR 1995 - Kyoto Protocol
• TAR 2001 – Importance of impacts and adaptation
Marrakech Accords
• AR4 2007 – Post Kyoto Negotiations
Bali Plan of Action
IPCC contribution to UNFCCC
• Methodology work for national GHG inventories
• SBSTA asked IPCC to address specific scientific
technical topics in ARs, e.g. SAR and TAR SYR
• Invitations to prepare Special Reports and Technical
Papers
• IPCC briefings to delegates and presentations at
major meetings, JWG
Dialogue and timeliness
Policy relevance
Main decisions are taken by
governments in plenary Session
• IPCC principles and procedures
• IPCC budget, including staffing of Secretariat
• Working Group structure and mandate
• Establishment of a Task Force
• Outreach and information programme
• Elections of the IPCC Bureau and Task Force
Bureau
Governments and the IPCC writing
and Review Process
• They decide whether to prepare a report and agree on
it’s scope.
• They provide input to the scoping process
• They nominate experts to serve as authors, expert
reviewers, and review editors.
• They review the second order draft and provide
comments.
• They approve/accept/adopt a report
Contributions from Scientists and
Governments have Increased Over Time
For example Working Group I:
1990 Report: 365 pages,
170 lead and contributing authors
from 25 countries and 200 reviewers
35 countries at final plenary
2007 Report: 987 pages,
160 lead authors and >400 contributing authors
from 40 countries and 600 reviewers
113 countries at final plenary