IPCC Factsheet What is the IPCCThe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC is the international body for assessing the science related to climate change. The IPCC was set up in 1988 by the nullorld nulleteorological nullrganinullation nullnullnull and nullnited nullations nullnvironment Programme nullnullnullP to provide policymanullers with regular assessments of the scientinullc basis of climate changenull its impacts and future risnullsnull and options for adaptation and mitigation. IPCC assessments provide a scientinullc basis for governments at all levels to develop climatenullrelated policiesnull and they underlie negotiations at the nullnull Climate Conference null the nullnited nullations nullramewornull Convention on Climate Change nullnullnullCCC. The assessments are policynullrelevant but not policynullprescriptivenull they may present pronullections of future climate change based on different scenarios and the risnulls that climate change poses and discuss the implications of response optionsnull but they do not tell policymanullers what actions to tanulle.The IPCC embodies a uninullue opportunity to provide rigorous and balanced scientinullc ination to decisionnullmanullers because of its scientinullc and intergovernmental nature. Participation in the IPCC is open to all member countries of the nullnullnull and nullnited nullations. It currently has 19null members. The Panelnull made up of representatives of the member statesnull meets in Plenary nullessions to tanulle manullor decisions. The IPCC nullureaunull elected by member governmentsnull provides guidance to the Panel on the scientinullc and technical aspects of the Panelnulls wornull and advises the Panel on related management and strategic issues1.IPCC assessments are written by hundreds of leading scientists who volunteer their time and enullpertise as Coordinating nullead nulluthors and nullead nulluthors of the reports. They enlist hundreds of other enullperts as Contributing nulluthors to provide complementary enullpertise in specinullc areas. IPCC reports undergo multiple rounds of drafting and review to ensure they are comprehensive and obnullective and produced in an open and transparent way. Thousands of other enullperts contribute to the reports by acting as reviewersnull ensuring the reports renullect the full range of views in the scientinullc community. Teams of nulleview nullditors provide a thorough monitoring mechanism for manulling sure that review comments are addressed. nullor more details see IPCC nullactsheet null How does the IPCC select its authors and IPCC nullactsheet null How does the IPCC review process work.www.ipcc.ch1httpnullnullww.ipcc.chnulldfnullornullnullnullureau.pdf The IPCC wornulls by assessing published literature see IPCC nullactsheet null What literature does the IPCC assess. It does not conduct its own scientinullc research. nullor all nullndingsnull author teams use denullned language to characterinulle their degree of certainty in assessment conclusionsnull. IPCC assessments point to areas of wellnullestablished nullnowledge and of evolving understandingnull as well as where multiple perspectives enullist in the literature.The authors producing the reports are currently grouped in three wornulling groups null nullornulling nullroup Inull the Physical nullcience nullasisnull nullornulling nullroup IInull Impactsnull nulldaptation and nullulnerabilitynull and nullornulling nullroup IIInull nullitigation of Climate Change null and the Tasnull nullorce on nullational nullreenhouse nullas Inventories TnullI. nulls part of the IPCCnull a Tasnull nullroup on nullata and nullcenario nullupport for Impact and Climate nullnalysis TnullICnull facilitates the distribution and application of climate changenullrelated data and scenarios. IPCC nullssessment nulleports cover the full scientinullcnull technical and socionulleconomic assessment of climate changenull generally in four parts null one for each of the nullornulling nullroups plus a nullynthesis nulleport. nullpecial nulleports are assessments of a specinullc issue. nullethodology nulleports provide practical guidelines for the preparation of greenhouse gas inventories under the nullnullnullCCC.nullor more inationnull please contactnullIPCC nullecretariatcnullo nullorld nulleteorological nullrganinullationnull bisnull avenue de la PainullP.null. nullonull nullnullnullnullCnullnull1null11 nulleneva nullnullwitnullerlandTel.null nullnull1 null nullnull nullnullnull 8null null8 null nullnull null 8nullnullanullnull nullnull1 null nullnull nullnullnull 8null nullnull null 1nullnullnullmailnull IPCCnullnullecnullwmo.intwww.ipcc.chnullnulle Guidance Note for Lead Authors of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report on Consistent nullreatment of nullcertaintiesnull httpnullnullww.ipcc.chnulldfnullupportingnullaterialnullncertaintynulluidancenullote.pdfnullnull nullugust nullnull1null