Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) | Umweltbundesamt

Due to the global significance of climate change and its complex scientific implications the World Meteorological Association (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) founded the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. The IPCC is an independent scientific body whose memberships consists of hundreds of scientists from all over the globe. It reviews and assesses the most recent scientific information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change. The Council issues regular Assessment Reports and special reports on select topics.

The key focus of the work done by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is on the following areas:

• Scientific basis for anthropogenic (man-made) climate change;
• Observed changes in the climate,
• Projections of future climate changes;
• Measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases;
• Measures to adapt to projected (calculated for the future) climate changes.

Since the Council’s first assessment report appeared in 1990 four more such comprehensive reports have been published. These reports provide a vital frame of reference for politicians and experts from within governments, industry and universities, as well as all those whose work focuses on the problem of anthropogenic climate change.

The Assessment Reports are the product of reports by the IPCC Working Groups I (Physical Science Basis), II (Impact, Adaptation, Vulnerability) and III (Mitigation of Climate Change) as well as a Synthesis Report.

The Synthesis Report brings together scientific, technical and socio-economic information about climate change that is significant for policymaking. It aims to provide governments and other decision-making bodies in the public and private sectors with the knowledge necessary to be able to combat anthropogenic climate change with effective measures.