What is the IPCC?
Get to know the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Created in 1988 by the United Nations, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is tasked with evaluating current knowledge behind the science of climate change, the social and economic impact of climate change, and potential response strategies. Scientists from around the world volunteer their time to write reports summarizing the latest scientific understanding of climate change.
Here you can learn more about the different scientific disciplines that embody the IPCC and how they work.
The Physical Science Basis
IPCC Working Group I examines the physical science underpinning past, present and future climate change. How do we know that climate change is happening? What’s causing it? What could happen next?
Impacts, Adaptation & Vulnerability
IPCC Working Group II assesses the impacts of climate change, from a world-wide to a regional view of ecosystems and biodiversity, and of humans and their diverse societies, cultures and settlements.
Mitigation of Climate Change
IPCC Working Group III focuses on climate change mitigation, achieved by limiting or preventing greenhouse gas emissions and by enhancing activities that remove these gases from the atmosphere.
The Synthesis Report
The Synthesis Report summarizes and integrates materials from the three working groups.
Task Force on Inventories
The task force develops and refines an internationally-agreed method for the calculation and reporting of national greenhouse gas emissions and removals.
The Intergovernmental Panel
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a group of 195 member governments. Representatives of IPCC member governments meet in Plenary Sessions annually to oversee the organization’s work, and also approve and adopt IPCC reports.