Finding the truth that is trusted when it comes to climate change is critical – otherwise anyone could make any statement about climate change, and we’d have no way of knowing if there was credible science to support claims.
And this is where the IPCC – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is essential. If you haven’t heard the acronym IPCC yet, welcome to the world of climate change science! We hope this brief Explainer will help you learn more.
The IPCC is especially important for us in our Pacific Small Islands Developing States – collectively we contribute to less than 0.03 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions, yet we are and have always been amongst the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Demonstrating climate leadership in doing what we can to adapt to, and mitigate the impacts of, climate change, including with the support of partners, has been enabled by the science that stems from the IPCC.
Our work is now to ensure that our voices and our work contribute to the IPCC reports – the science that verifies all things climate change.
What is the IPCC?
The IPCC is the United Nations body for assessing science related to climate change and was set up to provide governments at all levels with scientific information that they can use to develop climate policies. It provides regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. It is an organisation of 195 governments that are members of the United Nations or WMO – including our Pacific Island governments.
Each IPCC member designates a National Focal Point that meet in Plenary Sessions at least once a year. The sessions are also attended by hundreds of officials and experts from relevant ministries, agencies and research institutions from member countries and from Observer Organisations.
The Panel works by consensus to decide on the organisation’s budget and work programme; the scope and outline of its reports; issues related to principles and procedures of the IPCC; and the structure and mandate of IPCC Working Groups and Task Forces. The Panel also approves and adopts IPCC reports and elects the IPCC Chair, other members of the IPCC Bureau and the Task Force Bureau.
About the IPCC Reports
Since 1988, the IPCC has had six assessment cycles and delivered six Assessment Reports, the most comprehensive scientific reports about climate change produced worldwide. It has also produced a range of Methodology Reports, Special Reports and Technical Papers, in response to requests for information on specific scientific and technical matters from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), governments and international organisations.
A special one for the Pacific Small Islands Developing States who were instrumental in the Paris Agreement aiming to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius – ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, is the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C.
Our Pacific goal for the IPCC
We’d like to have more Pacific Islands authors of scientific papers linked to climate change have their work contribute to any of the IPCC Reports that are released. This will factor in our lived experiences and forecasts in the documents that go through the IPCC cycle, enabling a stronger Small Islands Developing States, and Pacific, voice in these global reports. Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C is an urgent priority for safeguarding the Pacific Islands.
We would also like to publish papers of Pacific content based on Pacific priorities, case studies and lived realities to contribute to the global reports.
Strengthening Pacific engagement in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is crucial as the reports are vital sources of climate information for both international and domestic policy.
It is important to amplify our voice at the IPCC bureau meetings where our Pacific IPCC focal points provide crucial interventions to ensure Pacific climate realities, especially the mandate for “1.5 to stay alive”, are integrated into the IPCC assessment reports and decisions.
Support to help make this happen for the 6th Assessment Reports (AR6) of the IPCC and now the Seventh cycle has come from the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. With their support, this has resulted in enhanced participation from the Pacific in the IPCC as well as increased the number of Pacific Authors for the AR7 draft process.
How the reports are developed
As explained from the IPCC website – thousands of people from all over the world contribute to the work of the IPCC – including Pacific Islanders. For the Assessment Reports, experts volunteer their time as IPCC authors to assess the thousands of scientific papers that are published each year. This provides a comprehensive summary of what is known about the drivers of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and how adaptation and mitigation can reduce those risks.
An open and transparent review by experts and governments around the world is an essential part of the IPCC process, to ensure an objective and complete assessment to reflect a diverse range of views and expertise.
There is a full process in place that leads to the designation of reports and topics requested, as well as work to complete and release the IPCC reports. It also spans National Focal Points, Bureaus, Executive Committees, IPCC Authors and Review Editors.
Pacific Islands Parties to the UNGA and WMO have National Focal Points to the IPCC.
Our Pacific contributing Authors
While we have not had Pacific Island Members on any of the IPCC Bureaus we have had Pacific Islanders play a role as lead authors, contributing authors and review editors over the past years.
For the seventh cycle of the IPCC Reports we have seven experts affiliated with Pacific institutions that are Authors and Expert Reviewers. These include:
•Dr Alvin Chandra, of Fiji and Australia, Associate Professor (Adjunct) Climate Change, The University of Queensland
• Dr Awnesh Singh, of Fiji, Associate Professor and Acting Director, Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PACE-SD), University of the South Pacific (USP)
•Kisolel Posanau, of Papua New Guinea, Climate Researcher
•Dr Morgan Wairiu, of Solomon Islands, Pro-Chancellor Solomon Islands National University.
•Dr. Ramendra Prasad, of Fiji, Associate Professor and Head of the Science Department at the University of Fiji
•Dr Sindra Sharma, of Fiji who is the International Policy Lead, Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN).
•Lau Dr Viliamu Iese, of Samoa and Tuvalu, Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne.
To learn more about the IPCC itself, please visit: https://www.ipcc.ch/
