The IPCC was created to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation options.
Through its assessments, the IPCC determines the state of knowledge on climate change. It identifies where there is agreement in the scientific community on topics related to climate change, and where further research is needed. The reports are drafted and reviewed in several stages, thus guaranteeing objectivity and transparency. The IPCC does not conduct its own research. IPCC reports are neutral, policy-relevant but not policy-prescriptive. The assessment reports are a key input into the international negotiations to tackle climate change. Created by the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988, the IPCC has 195 Member countries. In the same year, the UN General Assembly endorsed the action by WMO and UNEP in jointly establishing the IPCC.
Activities
The main activity of the IPCC is the preparation of reports assessing the state of knowledge of climate change. These include assessment reports, special reports and methodology reports. To deliver this work programme, the IPCC holds meetings of its government representatives, convening as plenary sessions of the Panel or IPCC Working Groups to approve, adopt and accept reports. Plenary Sessions of the IPCC also determine the IPCC work programme, and other business including its budget and outlines of reports. The IPCC Bureau meets regularly to provide guidance to the Panel on scientific and technical aspects of its work. The IPCC organizes scoping meetings of experts and meetings of lead authors to prepare reports. It organizes expert meetings and workshops on various topics to support its work programme, and publishes the proceedings of these meetings. To communicate its findings and explain its work, the IPCC takes part in outreach activities organized by the IPCC or hosted by other organizations, and provides speakers to other conferences. More information on sessions of the IPCC, its Working Groups and the Bureau can be found in the Documentation section.
The IPCC prepares comprehensive Assessment Reports about the state of scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge on climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for reducing the rate at which climate change is taking place. It also produces Special Reports on topics agreed to by its member governments, as well as Methodology Reports that provide guidelines for the preparation of greenhouse gas inventories. The latest report is the Sixth Assessment Report which consists of three Working Group contributions and a Synthesis Report. The Working Group I contribution was finalized in August 2021, the Working Group II contribution in February 2022, the Working Group III contribution in April 2022 and the Synthesis Report in March 2023.
2027 IPCC Methodology Report on Inventories for Short-lived Climate Forcers
July 2027
Methodology Report
1994 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
May 1994
Working Group Report
2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
April 2006
Sixth Assessment Report: 2023
Synthesis Report
AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023
March 2023
Working Group Report
AR6 Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
February 2022
Working Group Report
AR6 Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change
April 2022
Working Group Report
AR6 Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis
August 2021
Special and Methodology Reports
Special Report
Special Report on Climate Change and Cities
March 2027
Working Group Report
2027 IPCC Methodology Report on Inventories for Short-lived Climate Forcers
July 2027
Working Group Report
Global Warming of 1.5°C
October 2018
Working Group Report
Climate Change and Land
August 2019
Fifth Assessment Report: 2014
Synthesis Report
AR5 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2014
October 2014
Working Group Report
AR5 Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis
September 2013
Working Group Report
AR5 Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability
March 2014
Working Group Report
AR5 Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change
April 2014
Fourth Assessment Report: 2007
Synthesis Report
AR4 Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report
September 2007
Working Group Report
AR4 Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis
June 2007
Working Group Report
AR4 Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability
July 2007
Working Group Report
AR4 Climate Change 2007: Mitigation of Climate Change
June 2007
Third Assessment Report: 2001
Synthesis Report
TAR Climate Change 2001: Synthesis Report
October 2001
Working Group Report
TAR Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis
January 2001
Working Group Report
TAR Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability
May 2001
Working Group Report
TAR Climate Change 2001: Mitigation
July 2001
Second Assessment Report: 1995
Synthesis Report
SAR Climate Change 1995: Synthesis Report
October 1995
Working Group Report
SAR Climate Change 1995: The Science of Climate Change
February 1995
Working Group Report
SAR Climate Change 1995: Impacts, Adaptations and Mitigation of Climate Change: Scientific-Technical Analyses
July 1995
Working Group Report
SAR Climate Change 1995: Economic and Social Dimensions of Climate Change
July 1995
First Assessment Report: 1990
Synthesis Report
FAR Climate Change: Synthesis
March 1990
Working Group Report
FAR Climate Change: Scientific Assessment of Climate Change
June 1990
Working Group Report
FAR Climate Change: Impacts Assessment of Climate Change
July 1990
Working Group Report
FAR Climate Change: The IPCC Response Strategies
October 1990
Special Report
Special Report
The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
September 2019
Working Group Report
Global Warming of 1.5°C
October 2018
Working Group Report
Climate Change and Land
August 2019
Special Report
Aviation and the Global Atmosphere
March 1999
Methodology Report
Working Group Report
2027 IPCC Methodology Report on Inventories for Short-lived Climate Forcers
July 2027
Methodology Report
1994 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
May 1994
Working Group Report
2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
April 2006
Sixth Assessment Report: 2023
Synthesis Report
AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023
March 2023
Working Group Report
AR6 Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
February 2022
Working Group Report
AR6 Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change
April 2022
Working Group Report
AR6 Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis
August 2021
Special and Methodology Reports
Special Report
Special Report on Climate Change and Cities
March 2027
Working Group Report
2027 IPCC Methodology Report on Inventories for Short-lived Climate Forcers
July 2027
Working Group Report
Global Warming of 1.5°C
October 2018
Working Group Report
Climate Change and Land
August 2019
Fifth Assessment Report: 2014
Synthesis Report
AR5 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2014
October 2014
Working Group Report
AR5 Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis
September 2013
Working Group Report
AR5 Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability
March 2014
Working Group Report
AR5 Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change
April 2014
Fourth Assessment Report: 2007
Synthesis Report
AR4 Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report
September 2007
Working Group Report
AR4 Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis
June 2007
Working Group Report
AR4 Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability
July 2007
Working Group Report
AR4 Climate Change 2007: Mitigation of Climate Change
June 2007
Third Assessment Report: 2001
Synthesis Report
TAR Climate Change 2001: Synthesis Report
October 2001
Working Group Report
TAR Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis
January 2001
Working Group Report
TAR Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability
May 2001
Working Group Report
TAR Climate Change 2001: Mitigation
July 2001
Second Assessment Report: 1995
Synthesis Report
SAR Climate Change 1995: Synthesis Report
October 1995
Working Group Report
SAR Climate Change 1995: The Science of Climate Change
February 1995
Working Group Report
SAR Climate Change 1995: Impacts, Adaptations and Mitigation of Climate Change: Scientific-Technical Analyses
July 1995
Working Group Report
SAR Climate Change 1995: Economic and Social Dimensions of Climate Change
July 1995
First Assessment Report: 1990
Synthesis Report
FAR Climate Change: Synthesis
March 1990
Working Group Report
FAR Climate Change: Scientific Assessment of Climate Change
June 1990
Working Group Report
FAR Climate Change: Impacts Assessment of Climate Change
July 1990
Working Group Report
FAR Climate Change: The IPCC Response Strategies
October 1990
Special Report
Special Report
The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
September 2019
Working Group Report
Global Warming of 1.5°C
October 2018
Working Group Report
Climate Change and Land
August 2019
Special Report
Aviation and the Global Atmosphere
March 1999
Methodology Report
Working Group Report
2027 IPCC Methodology Report on Inventories for Short-lived Climate Forcers
July 2027
Methodology Report
1994 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
May 1994
Working Group Report
2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
April 2006
Working Groups and Task Force
IPCC assessments and special reports are prepared by three Working Groups, each looking at a different aspect of the science related to climate change: Working Group I (The Physical Science Basis), Working Group II (Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability), and Working Group III (Mitigation of Climate Change). The IPCC also has a Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, whose main objective is to develop and refine a methodology for the calculation and reporting of national greenhouse gas emissions and removals. The Working Groups and Task Force handle the preparation of reports, selecting and managing the experts that work on them as authors. The activities of each Working Group and the Task Force are supported by their Technical Support Units (TSU).