The IPCC and the UN climate survey

May 4, 2007, 14:15 GMT

Geneva - The United Nations climate panel was founded in 1988 to investigate the risks of global warming. The body was tasked with gathering, assessing and presenting scientific data on climate change in an understandable format.

The world body, with the full title, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), was set up by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Based in Geneva, the panel has so far published three comprehensive reports on climate change, in 1990, 1995 and 2001. The body does not conduct its own scientific research, but pulls together scientific and technical studies released over the period between reports.

The IPCC reports examine the scientific basis for global warming and how changes are affecting the environment and society, as well as offering strategies for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

The fundamental conclusions of the researchers have been the same throughout, though the certainty attributed to them has increased: humans are exacerbating the greenhouse effect, are heating up the planet with untold consequences and must make a determined effort to counteract climate change.

Some 2,500 researchers and 450 main authors have worked on the fourth assessment report for the past six years. The results will be presented in three parts and a concluding summary.

The first part of the report deals with the scientific principles of climate change, examining the current and historical observations of climate researchers as well as predictions of future temperatures based on mathematical models.

The first working group presented its report, The Physical Science Basis, on February 2 in Paris.

The second part of the report deals with the effects of climate change, possible adaptations to deal with it and the 'vulnerability of humans' faced with the observed changes in temperature.

The second working group presented its part of the report, Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, on April 6 in Brussels.

The third part of the report deals with the possibilities for people and policymakers to put the brakes on climate change and makes suggestions in order to do this.

The third working group presented its findings, titled Mitigation of Climate Change, on Friday in the Thai capital Bangkok.

A final draft of each section is made available to governments for review months before the reports are released. Officials and experts from governments, research institutions and other organizations hold a summit meeting to approve the document days before it is presented to the public. (Internet: www.ipcc.ch)