Background

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an independent body founded under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It assesses the scientific literature and provides vital scientific information to the climate change process. The current structure of the IPCC consists of three Working Groups: Working Group I addresses the science of climate change; Working Group II deals with impacts, vulnerability and adaptation; and Working Group III with mitigation.

The IPCC is best known for its comprehensive assessment reports, incorporating summaries for policymakers from all three Working Groups, which are widely recognized as the most credible sources of information on climate change. The First Assessment Report in 1990 helped launch negotiations on the Convention. The 1995 Second Assessment Report, in particular its statement that "the balance of evidence suggests … a discernible human influence on global climate", stimulated many governments into intensifying negotiations on what was to become the Kyoto Protocol. The Third Assessment Report (TAR), released in May 2001, confirmed the findings of the Second Assessment Report, providing new and stronger evidence of a warming world. A Fourth Assessment Report is currently being planned.

The IPCC also produces shorter Technical Papers and Special Reports on specific issues at the request of the COP or the SBSTA. In addition, the IPCC carries out important work on improving methodologies for estimating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions, through its Task Force on Inventories. The SBSTA acts as a link between the COP and the IPCC, and a joint working group of the Bureaux of the two bodies meets regularly to ensure coordination. A contribution is made to the costs of the IPCC from the Convention's Programme Budget.

At COP 7 (Marrakesh, October/November 2001), Parties considered the TAR, entitled "Climate Change 2001". Following consideration by SBSTA 15 (meeting with COP 7), Parties adopted a decision that expresses appreciation to the IPCC for its excellent work on the TAR and encourages Parties to make full use of the information contained therein. The decision also urges Annex I Parties to continue providing financial support to the IPCC.

Following invitation by the SBSTA, Parties provided their views on the TAR and possible IPCC activities in support of the needs of the Convention and its Protocol, and the secretariat organised a workshop from 4 to 6 April 2002 in Bonn to explore how the TAR can facilitate the work of the SBSTA and other convention bodies.

At SBSTA 16 (Bonn, June 2002) Parties continued consideration of the TAR. The SBSTA took note of the report (FCCC/SBSTA/2001/INF.4) of the workshop on the TAR. The SBSTA agreed that the TAR should be used routinely as a useful reference for informing the deliberations on agenda items of the COP and its subsidiary bodies. In addition, the SBSTA identified three preliminary areas which could be considered by the SBSTA: research and systematic observations; scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects of impacts of, and vulnerability and adaptation to, climate change; and scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects of mitigation.

The SBSTA invited Parties to submit their views on research priorities and issues covered in these conclusions and on the aspects of the TAR that could help facilitate further consideration of the agenda items of the COP and its subsidiary bodies. The SBSTA decided to consider the submissions, and requested the secretariat to prepare a synthesis of the submissions to facilitate further consideration of these issues at SBSTA 18, with a view to recommending a draft decision on these matters for adoption by COP 9.

The SBSTA 17 had an extensive discussion of research priorities and questions for the scientific community under agenda item on Research and systematic observations (FCCC/SBSTA/2002/13 paragraph 45 (a)–(q))