The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

United-Nations-IPCC-climate-change-agency

In 1988, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) set up the an intergovernmental body tasked to evaluate the nature and implications of climate change to the environment, society and the economy.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), gathers from around the globe scientific, technical and socio-economic data significant to understanding climate change. However, it does not conduct research nor does it monitor climate related information. Instead, thousands of scientists from different parts of the world contribute to the work of the IPCC. To determine which information may be considered and approved, participating governments gather and discuss the collected information to reflect varied views and expertise. Currently, 195 countries are members of the IPCC.

So, what is the relevance of the IPCC?

Assessments by the IPCC provide participating governments scientific basis for developing climate-related policies. These assessments do not tell policymakers what to do exactly. Instead, they discuss possible scenarios or circumstances of future climate changes based on various situations, the dangers resulting from climate change and implications of actions that would most likely be undertaken as a response to the supposed danger of a possible scenario.

But who exactly puts together all the IPCC work? And who is in charge of communicating and coordinating with the various governments?

UNEP and WMO established the Secretariat to coordinate all the work and liaise with all members. It is a committee based at the WMO headquarters in Geneva.

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