The preparation of scientific assessment reports is the primary activity of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The decision to prepare a Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) was taken at the 28th session of the panel in 2008. In October 2009, at its 31st Session the outlines and schedule for the contributions of the three Working Groups to the AR5 were agreed. The outlines were developed through a scoping process which involved climate change experts from relevant disciplines and users of IPCC Reports.
The report will comprise of contributions from the three IPCC working groups and a Synthesis Report which will integrate and synthesize the information from the working group reports. The Working Group I Report will address the physical science basis and will be finalized in September 2013. Working Group II will address impacts, adaptation and vulnerabilities and Working Group III mitigation of climate change. The Reports of Working Groups II and III will be finalized in the spring of 2014 and the Synthesis Report in September 2014.
Nominations for AR5
Call for nominations: authors and editors
The IPCC has requested Governments to nominate potential contributors to the Fifth Assessment Report.
The IPCC is open to all 194 countries that are members of the United Nations and World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Governments are responsible for approving and nominating experts to serve as Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors and Review Editors of the various chapters of the report. Experts are needed in a wide range of fields spanning the science of climate systems and climate change and the scientific, technical, environmental, economic and social aspects of impacts, adaptation and vulnerability and the mitigation of climate change.
All nominations will need to be received by the Climate Science and International Evidence team in DECC, by the 24th February 2010.
The UK Government wishes to ensure that climate change experts in the UK have the opportunity to contribute to the work of the IPCC and therefore to identify potential experts.
The IPCC will review all nominations and will make the final decision on nominees. Given the large numbers of experts which are typically nominated in this process, nomination by the UK Government does not guarantee selection by the IPCC itself.
IPCC experts work on a voluntary basis. Nomination by the UK government does not imply a commitment by the UK government to provide financial support for participants. However DECC will be able to offer some limited financial support to Convening Lead Authors, Lead Authors and Review Editors for travel to relevant meetings. Please note that nominated individuals should agree in advance to fulfil the role for which they are nominated, should they be selected by the IPCC.
How to Apply
- UK Nationals and non-UK nationals resident and working in the UK can be nominated by the UK government. UK nationals working abroad should in the first instance seek to be nominated by their host country government.
- For information on the AR5 schedule, Working Group outlines and relevant guidance on IPCC Author’s responsibilities, see relevant documents on the IPCC: Fifth Assessment Report web pages. Please note that the time commitment of the different roles varies greatly. For further background to the development of the AR5 scope, see the background documents on the IPCC: Thirty-First Session of the IPCC, Bali, Indonesia, 26 - 29 October 2009 web page.
- Nominations to be considered by the UK Government must be received by the Climate Science and International Evidence team in DECC (and NOT to the IPCC secretariat directly) by the 24th February 2010 at the latest. Complete the correct Excel nomination form, identifying the AR5 Working Group/chapter and role for which you wish to be nominated. Please note that the section entitled ‘person nominating’ should be left blank. Send this, along with an up to date CV in English (no more than 5 pages and including key relevant publications) to applications.ipcc@decc.gsi.gov.uk.
Copies of the nomination forms are available below:
Please take care to provide all of the requested information, as we will not have enough time to contact individuals for missing information. Please note that part-completed nominations forms will not be considered.
What Happens Next?
Through a process co-ordinated by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change, UK technical experts will review all applications to ensure they are appropriate for the IPCC, based on qualifications, track record, publications and general suitability for the position.
Further Information
Consult the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) website for further information and for updates on the status of the nominations process, as writing teams will be chosen during spring 2010. Contact applications.ipcc@decc.gsi.gov.uk for any specific enquiries to the UK nominations process.