| December 15, 2006 |  |
IPCC's Climate Change Report Findings Still Being Finalized
IPCC's Climate Change Report Findings Still Being Finalized
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the leading international scientific body studying global warming, will release a major three-part assessment of climate change science, impacts and mitigation options in 2007. The first report on climate science will be released on February 2, 2007. This is the panel's fourth assessment since 1988; the previous assessment was published in 2001. (More information on the IPCC is available on their website.) Because the IPCC assessments are the most comprehensive evaluations of climate change, they are an essential resource for developing sound climate policies.
The IPCC assessment is developed through an extensive, iterative peer-review process involving more than 2500 scientific expert reviewers and 1200 authors from more than 130 countries. Its conclusions are carefully vetted and inclusive, and the summary findings must be approved by both authors and governments. This careful process helps ensure that the reports are highly credible and that the major findings are endorsed by governments. They are also relatively conservative in that the lengthy review process minimizes the extent to which very recent research, published within a year of the report's release, can be included.
Precisely because of the IPCC's credibility and influence, some are tempted to share the report's findings in the weeks prior to the official release of the Fourth Assessment Report's first section. Though early draft versions of the document have been leaked, changes are common during the final review process happening at this time. When released in final form, the document will be a useful tool for evaluating the state of climate science. Until the final product actually exists, conjecture and speculation from anyone about the report's findings are premature and may be inaccurate.
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
