Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations (UN). It was started in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme to help leaders learn about climate change.

The IPCC looks at all the science about climate change and makes reports. These reports tell everyone what is happening to our planet and what we can do to help.

The IPCC does not do its own experiments. Instead, many scientists around the world check the information and help make the reports. These reports are very important because they help leaders make good choices to take care of our Earth. The IPCC shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for helping people understand climate change better.

The IPCC has been working for many years, and its reports have helped shape important global agreements like the Paris Agreement in 2015. The latest reports show that climate change is happening faster than many thought, and it is very important that we act now to protect our planet.

Origins

The IPCC started from a group called the Advisory Group on Greenhouse Gases (AGGG). It was set up in 1986 by three organizations: the International Council of Scientific Unions, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The AGGG looked at research about greenhouse gases.

Because climate science was getting more complex, a bigger group was needed. In 1988, the WMO and UNEP created the IPCC. It is a group where scientists and government representatives work together. The IPCC makes reports about what scientists know about climate change. These reports are supported by leading scientists and approved by member governments. The IPCC also studies how climate change affects us and what we can do about it by looking at scientific research.

The United Nations supported the creation of the IPCC in 1988. They said that human actions could change the climate, warm the planet, and cause sea levels to rise. This could have serious effects on people if we don't act in time.

Organization

The IPCC is a group that helps governments learn about climate change. It does not do its own research. Instead, it collects information from scientists to make reports. These reports explain what we know about climate change, how it is happening, and what we can do to help.

The IPCC has rules to make sure its reports are fair, open, and based on good science. It has a Panel that meets often, a Chair who leads the group, and three Working Groups that study different parts of climate change. The group also has a Secretariat that helps with its work and a fund that gets money from governments to support its activities.

Assessment reports

Main articles: IPCC First Assessment Report, IPCC Second Assessment Report, IPCC Third Assessment Report, IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, and IPCC Sixth Assessment Report

Between 1990 and 2023, the IPCC made six big reports about climate science. These reports share what we know about how the Earth’s climate is changing. Each report has four parts: work from three groups and a summary.

The IPCC doesn’t do its own research; it looks at studies by scientists around the world. The reports help us understand climate change and what we can do.

• The first report in 1990 talked about how human activities are making the Earth warmer.
• The second report in 1995 showed more proof that humans are changing the climate.
• The third report in 2001 used a graph to show how temperatures have risen sharply recently.
• The fourth report in 2007 said climate change is very clear. The group won a peace prize for this work.
• The fifth report in 2013 and 2014 warned about the risks of climate change and showed ways to fight it.

The latest report, finished in 2023, says climate change is already happening everywhere and will keep going unless we cut down on gases that warm the planet. It shows that we still have ways to make a big difference.

Other reports

The IPCC creates special reports on important climate topics. Governments or organizations suggest these reports. From 1994 to 2019, the IPCC published 14 special reports. Now, many groups work together to make each report.

In 2011, the IPCC made two special reports. One was about using energy from nature, like wind and sun, instead of fossil fuels. This report showed that natural energy can help stop climate change. The other report looked at how extreme weather, like storms, is changing with climate change and how we can prepare.

Between 2018 and 2019, the IPCC made three special reports. In 2018, it released a report about keeping global warming below 1.5 °C. This report showed it is possible but needs big changes. In 2019, the IPCC made two more reports. One looked at how farming and forests affect climate change. The other looked at how oceans and frozen parts of Earth, like ice sheets, are changing.

The IPCC also creates reports to help countries measure and report their emissions of gases that warm the planet. These reports give methods and tools for countries to use. The first set of guidelines came out in 1994, with updates in 1996 and 2006. More updates are being prepared.

Challenges and controversies

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) sometimes faces criticism. Some people think the reports about climate change risks are too cautious, while others think they don’t go far enough. Scientists have said that because the IPCC needs agreement from many governments, its reports might not fully show how fast the Earth is warming or how serious the effects could be.

There have also been concerns about political influence on the IPCC. For example, some governments have tried to change who leads the group or what it says in its reports. In one case, a report that suggested eating less meat could help reduce climate change was changed after pressure from countries that rely on meat production. Overall, the IPCC works to give policymakers the best scientific information available, but not everyone agrees with all of its conclusions.

Endorsements and awards

Endorsements from scientific bodies

IPCC reports are the main source for climate science. Many scientists and groups support the IPCC. For example, in 2001, groups like the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences and the United States National Research Council agreed with the IPCC's findings. In 2007, groups such as the International Council for Science also supported the IPCC.

Nobel Peace Prize in 2007

Main article: 2007 Nobel Peace Prize

In December 2007, the IPCC received the Nobel Peace Prize. It shared the award with former U.S. Vice-president Al Gore for their work on learning more about climate change and helping people understand how to protect our planet.

Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity in 2022

In October 2022, the IPCC and IPBES shared the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. They won for creating important science knowledge and helping leaders make good choices to fight climate change and protect nature.