Jonathan Lynn

1. Role of the IPCC in policy making
Jonathan Lynn
Head of Communications
Outreach Event in Riga, Latvia
30 May- 1 June 2018

2. 1988
IPCC – jointly
established by
WMO and UNEP
1990
FAR
1995
SAR
2001
TAR
2007
AR4 AR5 AR6
2013-2014 2021-2022
SR15
UNFCCC
Global
Stocktake
2018 2023
1970s-1980s
Kyoto
Protocol
UNFCCC Adaptation 2 °C limit Paris Agreement
2019
MR
SROCC
SRCCL
Nobel Peace Prize

3. The role of the IPCC is …
“… to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent
basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information
relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-
induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for
adaptation and mitigation.”
“IPCC reports should be neutral with respect to policy, although
they may need to deal objectively with scientific, technical and
socio-economic factors relevant to the application of particular
policies.”
Principles Governing IPCC Work, paragraph 2
Source: http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/ipcc-principles/ipcc-principles.pdf

4. Science/Policy Interface
Plenary
Bureaux
WorkingGroup(WG)I
The Physical
Science Basis
WGIII
Mitigation of
Climate Change
WGII
Impacts,
Adaptation&
Vulnerability
Task Force on
National
Greenhouse
Gas Inventories
Authors
Expert
Reviewers
Review
Editors
Intergovernmental Panel: 195 member States
appointing National Focal Points
IPCC – jointly established by WMO and UNEP, action endorsed by the UN General Assembly
Hundreds of scientists and experts from around
the world are involved in the preparation of IPCC
reports

5. Some IPCC Products

6. 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
The Intergovernmental Panel onClimate Change
andAlbertArnold (Al)Gore Jr.were awarded
the Nobel Peace Prize
"for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater
knowledge about man-made climate change, and tolay
the foundations for the measures that are needed to
counteract such change".

7. What are IPCC reports used for?

8. What are IPCC reports used for?

9. 1990
Gave a broad overview
of climate change
science, discussion of
uncertainties and
evidence of warming
1995
“The balance of
evidence suggests a
discernible human
influence on global
climate”
2001 “There is new and
stronger evidence that
most of the warming
observed over the last
50 years is attributable
to human activities”
2007 "Warming of
the climate
system is
unequivocal…"
2013 “Human
influence on the
climate system is
clear.”
Progress in multiple lines of evidence and the maturation of climate science
Observations Process based More sophisticated

10. FAR (1990)
IPCC reports have an impact
led to UNFCCC
SAR (1995) input for Kyoto Protocol
TAR (2001) focused attention on
Impacts of climate
change and need for
adaptation
AR4 (2007) input for
Decision on 2ºC limit;
basis for post Kyoto
Protocol agreement
AR5 (2013/2014) input for

11. “…global average
temperatures should
not exceed 2 degrees
[Celsius] above pre-
industrial level…”
“…we agree that deep cuts in global emissions are
required according to science, and as documented
by the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report [2007]
with a view to reduce global emissions so as to hold
the increase in global temperature below 2 degrees
Celsius…”
Special Report on
Global warming of 1.5 o
C
“While science
on the 1.5°C
warming limit
is less robust,
efforts should
be made to
push the
defence line as
low as
possible”
“The ‘guardrail’ concept,
in which up to 2 °C of
warming is considered
safe, is inadequate…….
upper limit, a defence
line…, .. less warming
would be preferable.”

13. IPCC reports are relevant

14. IPCC Outreach Activities

15. Focal Points
Hosts,
Organizers,
Partners
Donors
Bureau
Authors
TSUs
Secretariat
Participants
Working Together Towards a Common Goal
IMPROVING OUTREACH
AND COMMUNICATION

16. Strengthening the Communication
Media & Communications Trainings
Improving presence on social media &
engagement with the media
Greater use of digital technology
Accessible Language

17. IPCC
IPCC
http://www.slideshare.net/ipcc-
media/presentations
https://www.youtube.com/c/ipccgeneva
Find us on:
Website: http://ipcc.ch/
IPCC Secretariat: ipcc-sec@wmo.int
IPCC Press Office: ipcc-media@wmo.int
@IPCC_CH
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipcc
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ipccphoto/sets/
https://vimeo.com/ipcc
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
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