Context:
Since 1988, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has consistently delivered six assessment reports, serving as comprehensive guidelines for estimating greenhouse gas emissions and removal. These reports, collaboratively prepared by scientists from 195 countries within the UNFCCC, delve into the scientific foundations, consequences, adaptation strategies, vulnerability assessments, and mitigation aspects related to climate change.
Relevance:
GS III: Environment and Ecology
Dimensions of the Article:
- About the IPCC
- The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) and Beyond
About the IPCC
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the international body for assessing the science related to climate change set up by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1988.
- IPCC was created to provide policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation.
- IPCC assessments provide a scientific basis for governments at all levels to develop climate related policies, and they underlie negotiations at the UN Climate Conference – the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- IPCC does not carry out original research. It does not monitor climate or related phenomena itself. However, it conducts a systematic review of published literature and then produces a comprehensive assessment report.
IPCC Assessment Reports
- The IPCC Assessment Reports are published once in about 7 years – and they are the most comprehensive scientific evaluations of the state of Earth’s climate. The 6th such assessment report was published in 2021.
- Prior to the AR6 in 2021, five assessment reports have been produced with the first one being released in 1990. The fifth assessment report had come out in 2014 in the run up to the climate change conference in Paris.
- The Assessment Reports are prepared by three working groups of scientists:
- Working Group-I – Deals with the scientific basis for climate change.
- Working Group-II – Looks at the likely impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation issues.
- Working Group-III – Deals with actions that can be taken to combat climate change.
The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) and Beyond:
Key Highlights of AR6:
- Synthesis of Findings: AR6 synthesizes findings from three working groups and integrates evidence from three special reports during the sixth assessment cycle, beginning in 2015.
- Finalization: The report was finalized at the IPCC’s 58th Session in Interlaken, Switzerland, in March 2023.
- Warning: AR6 warns of the diminishing time to limit the rise of the world’s average surface temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius from the pre-industrial era, as agreed in the Paris Agreement.
- Adaptation Limits: It notes that the world is nearing the limits of adaptation.
- Strategies and Options: AR6 provides options and strategies to slow warming, enhance adaptation, and build resilience in natural and human-made systems.
Post AR6 Activities:
- Seventh Assessment Cycle (AR7): Following the AR6 synthesis report, IPCC initiated its seventh cycle (AR7) with discussions on budgeting, timelines, and the work program in a meeting held in Turkey in January 2024.
Global Stocktake (GST):
- GST is conducted every five years by UNFCCC countries to assess global progress toward Paris Agreement goals.
- First GST: The first GST took place from 2022 to COP28 in 2023.
- IPCC’s Role: Member countries request IPCC input for the second GST, scheduled for 2028, to measure progress against the state of the planet.
Challenges and Considerations:
- Disagreement on the release date for AR7 assessment reports, with concerns about a shortened cycle compromising content and understanding the full extent of climate changes due to insufficient new research.
-Source: The Hindu
