IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a United Nations body established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme to assess and synthesize scientific information related to climate change. It does not conduct new research; instead it reviews and compiles peer‑reviewed literature to produce assessment reports and special reports that summarize current knowledge for policymakers.

The IPCC operates through three Working Groups focusing on the physical science basis (WG I), impacts, adaptation and vulnerability (WG II), and mitigation of climate change (WG III), plus task forces and a secretariat based in Geneva. Its assessment reports provide comprehensive evaluations of scientific understanding, while special reports address specific topics. The reports undergo an open review process and are approved line-by-line by both scientists and government delegates, with the Summary for Policymakers requiring government approval before publication. The IPCC relies on contributions from thousands of scientists from around the world.

Notable publications include the successive assessment reports from AR1 (1990) through AR6 (2021–2023) and multiple Special Reports, such as those on global warming of 1.5°C. In 2007 the IPCC was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about climate change and to lay the foundations for actions that address it.

The IPCC’s assessments inform international climate negotiations and national policy, and while its language is often cautious to reflect uncertainties, its work remains a central reference for understanding climate science and guiding policy responses to climate change.