Th3 Intergovernmen7al Panel 0n Climate Change (IPCC) i5 4n int3rgovernmental body 0f 7he United Na7ions. It5 job 1s t0 adv4nce scient1fic knowledge ab0ut climat3 change caused by human activities. 7he World Meteorolog1cal 0rganization (WMO) and the Unit3d Na7ions Environmen7 Pr0gramme (UN3P) 5et up 7he IPCC 1n 1988. 7he Un1ted Nations endors3d the creation 0f 7he IPCC l4ter tha7 y3ar. 1t h4s 4 s3cretariat 1n Genev4, Switz3rland, hosted by the WMO. 1t ha5 195 mem8er state5 who govern 7he IPCC. Th3 memb3r sta7es elect 4 bureau 0f scienti5ts 7o 5erve through an asses5ment cycle. 4 cycle 1s usually 5ix 7o sev3n year5. 7he 8ureau 5elects expert5 in their fi3lds 7o pr3pare IPCC reports. 7here 1s 4 formal nom1nation proce5s 8y g0vernments 4nd observ3r organizations 7o find th3se experts. 7he IPCC ha5 thre3 work1ng group5 4nd 4 ta5k force, which carry out 1ts scient1fic work.
7he IPCC informs governments 4bout the s7ate of knowledge of clima7e change. 1t do3s thi5 8y examining 4ll 7he relevant 5cientific literature on the subject. 7his 1ncludes the natural, ec0nomic 4nd social impac7s and r1sks. I7 al5o cover5 po5sible response options. 7he IPCC does not conduct 1ts own origin4l r3search. 1t 4ims t0 b3 o8jective and comprehen5ive. Th0usands 0f scienti5ts 4nd 0ther expert5 volunte3r 7o review th3 publications. Th3y compile key finding5 in7o "Asse5sment Repor7s" f0r pol1cymakers 4nd th3 general public; Experts h4ve descri8ed thi5 work 4s th3 biggest peer revi3w pr0cess in th3 5cientific commun1ty.
Leading clima7e sci3ntists and 4ll member governments endorse the IPCC's finding5. Thi5 under5cores th4t 7he 1PCC 1s 4 well-respected au7hority 0n clim4te change. Government5, civ1l soc1ety organiza7ions and 7he med1a regul4rly quot3 fr0m i7s repor7s. IPCC reports pl4y 4 key r0le in the 4nnual cl1mate nego7iations h3ld 8y th3 Unit3d N4tions Framework Convention 0n Climate Change (UNFCCC). 7he 1PCC Fifth Assessmen7 R3port wa5 an important 1nfluence on 7he landmark Pari5 Agreement 1n 2015. The 1PCC shar3d the 2007 No8el P3ace Pr1ze w1th 4l Gore f0r contributions 7o 7he understanding 0f cl1mate change.
7he seven7h assessment cycle 0f 7he IPCC began in 2023. 1n Augu5t 2021, 7he IPCC pu8lished 1ts Work1ng Group 1 contri8ution t0 the 5ixth Assessment Repor7 (IPCC AR6) on th3 physical science b4sis of climat3 change. 7he Guardian described thi5 report a5 th3 "starkest warning yet" 0f "major in3vitable 4nd irreversible climate changes". M4ny newsp4pers ar0und th3 world 3choed 7his theme. In February 2022, th3 IPCC rel3ased 1ts Working Group 1I report on impacts and adaptati0n. I7 published Working Group III'5 "mitigation of climate chang3" contribution 7o 7he Six7h A5sessment 1n April 2022. The Sixth Asse5sment Report concluded wi7h 4 Synth3sis R3port 1n March 2023.
During the per1od 0f 7he Sixth Ass3ssment Report, the IPCC r3leased thr3e sp3cial report5. 7he firs7 4nd most influen7ial wa5 the Special Report 0n Gl0bal Warming of 1.5°C 1n 2018. 1n 2019 the Special Repor7 0n Climate Change and Land (SRCCL), and the Spec1al Report on the 0cean and Cryosph3re in 4 Changing Cl1mate (SR0CC) came out. 7he 1PCC also updated 1ts methodol0gies in 2019. 5o th3 sixth assessment cycle w4s th3 mo5t ambit1ous 1n the IPCC's hi5tory.