The SBSTA at its 50^th session thanked the IPCC and the scientific community for responding to the invitation of the COP and providing the IPCC Special Report on 1.5 degrees of warming.

At its 51^st meeting, the SBSTA expressed its appreciation and gratitude to the IPCC and the scientific community for preparing the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land and the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate.

The SBSTA at its 48^th session welcomed the updates provided by Parties on their experience of using the IPCC 2013 Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Wetlands for their greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory reporting.

It also discussed the reporting of carbon dioxide emission and removal estimates relating to harvested wood products, including Parties’ experience of reporting those estimates and in linking them with forest land estimates and noted the importance of the discussions to advancing understanding of the different approaches set out in the “2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories”. The SBSTA agreed to further discuss the matter in later meetings.

At its 46^th meeting, the SBSTA and the SBI discussed the scope of the next periodic review and the long term goal under the Convention as mandated by CP.21, and recalled that subsequent reviews should take place following the adoption of an assessment report of the IPCC or at least every seven years.

The SBSTA also welcomed the information submitted by Parties on their experience in the use of the IPCC 2013 Supplement to the “2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Wetlands” and welcomed the IPCC’s plans to produce the “2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories”, noting that this work may inform the discussions under the relevant agenda sub-item.

At its 47^th meeting, the SBSTA discussed the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) and its work on common metrics for Parties’ NDCs. The SBSTA agreed to continue consideration of common metrics with regard to the findings of the IPCC in its Fifth Assessment Report.

In May 2016, SBSTA 44 launched  its  consideration  of  advice  on  how  the assessments  of  the  IPCC  can  inform  the global stocktake of the implementation of the Paris Agreement pursuant to its Article 14. This was in response to a COP 21 mandate (decision 1/CP.21,  paragraph  100). Parties agreed to continue to consider this matter, and agreed the conclusions which can be found in the SBSTA 44 report. See pages 13-14. 

In November 2016, SBSTA 45 provided advice on how the assessments of the IPCC can inform the global stocktake. The advice deals with topics including: lessons from past experience;  dialogue between IPCC experts and Parties; special events; views that emerged from a recent special event; inputs from the IPCC being considered in an effective and balanced manner, as part of the overall input to the global stocktake; and the SBSTA-IPCC Joint Working Group. In addition the SBSTA, inter alia, noted that the forthcoming products of the sixth IPCC assessment cycle  will be key inputs to the first global stocktake in 2023, and discussed the timing of future cycles. For the full text please see the SBSTA 45 report, pages 13-15.

With respect to discussions under the Ad hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA), under agenda item 6, “Matters relating to the global stocktake referred to in Article 14 of the Paris Agreement: (a) identification of the sources of input for the global stocktake; and (b) development of the modalities of the global stocktake”, the APA welcomed the advice of the SBSTA on how the assessments of the IPCC can inform the global stocktake. See paragraph 25 of the report of APA 1.2.

IPCC Statement at the opening plenary of SBSTA 43, COP 21 on 1st December 2015.

In October 2014, the Synthesis Report, the final component of the Fifth Assessment Report of IPCC (AR5), was finalized. The main findings were presented at SBSTA 41 at a SBSTA–IPCC special event, at COP 20 and at the tenth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) by the Chair of the IPCC. The previous contributions of the three Working Groups of the IPCC to the AR5 were presented at SBSTA 39 and 40 at SBSTA–IPCC special events.

The conclusions of SBSTA 41 FCCC/SBSTA/2014/5 (paragraphs 26-32) in regards to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and relevant decision on this matter (Decision 12/CP.20, FCCC/CP/2014/10/Add.2) highlighted, inter alia:

• The recognition that the IPCC AR5 continue to be considered in depth by Parties to the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol, so that all relevant agenda items are informed by the findings of the AR5;.
   
• The SBSTA requested that the secretariat, under the guidance of the Chair of the SBSTA, be prepared to invite the IPCC, in response to any request made by Parties, to inform its consideration of relevant agenda items, in particular through focused briefings on relevant information from the AR5 and other IPCC reports;
   
• The SBSTA noted that the AR5 identified some information gaps, including in developing countries, especially in Africa, and on emerging issues, such as the links between climate change and desertification;
   
• The SBSTA invited the IPCC and relevant international and regional research organizations to inform Parties about efforts undertaken to address the information gaps identified in the AR5 for example at the meeting of the Research Dialogue at SBSTA 42 (June 2015).

The SBSTA was invited to consider the findings of the AR4. A draft conclusion (FCCC/SBSTA/2007/17 page 11, paras 48-53) and decision were adopted. The SBSTA invited Parties to submit, by 15 February 2008, their views on the AR4 of the IPCC and how they could contribute to the on-going work under the UNFCCC process. Submissions received by the secretariat were made available in document FCCC/SBSTA/2008/MISC.2 for the information of Parties.

During SBSTA 26 (Bonn, May 2007), the secretariat organized, in cooperation with the IPCC, an in-depth briefing during the sessions of the subsidiary bodies on the contributions of the three IPCC working groups to the AR4. This in-depth briefing was held in Bonn, Germany, on Saturday 12 May 2007. The SBSTA welcomed the in-depth briefing and encouraged Parties to make use of the information contained in the reports. The SBSTA noted that the AR4 is relevant to the work of the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol.  

The IPCC finalized its work on the AR4 at its twenty-seventh session (Valencia, Spain, 12 to 17 November 2007), when it adopted and approved the synthesis report. At its thirteenth session (Bali, December 2007), the COP had on its agenda the AR4 of the IPCC. The secretariat, in cooperation with the IPCC, organized on 7 December 2007 an in-depth briefing on the Fourth Assessment synthesis report.

SBSTA 18 (Bonn, June 2003) decided (FCCC/SBSTA/2003/10 paragraph 10 (a)–(g)) to complete its work under the Third Assessment Report (TAR) agenda item at its 19^th session, and to initiate the following two new agenda items at its twentieth session, for regular consideration by the SBSTA: (1) Scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects of impacts of, and vulnerability and adaptation to, climate change; and (2) Scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects of mitigation. It invited Parties to submit their views on the elements, scope and priorities of the work to be undertaken under these two new agenda items, including possible timing. SBSTA 18 also requested the secretariat to organize a pre-sessional consultation immediately before SBSTA 19 to facilitate the development of and provide an opportunity to consider the scope of the work under these two new agenda items. The outcome of the intersessional consultation was presented to the SBSTA in an oral report by the secretariat. The workshop report is also contained in document FCCC/SBSTA/2002/INF.4.

SBSTA 19 (Milan, December 2003) developed a work programme on the two new agenda items noted above and a draft decision was adopted by the COP (Decision 10/CP.9).

Following the 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 4-6 April 2002 in Bonn to explore how the TAR could facilitate the work of the SBSTA and other convention bodies (FCCC/SBSTA/2002/MISC.5).

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. It 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 for its consideration: research and systematic observation; 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 (FCCC/SBSTA/2002/MISC.15). The synthesis of these submissions is contained in document (FCCC/SBSTA/2003/2). The SBSTA further decided to consider these issues at SBSTA 18, with a view to recommending a draft decision on these matters for adoption by COP 9.

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

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 expressed appreciation to the IPCC for its excellent work on the TAR and encouraged Parties to make full use of the information contained therein. The decision also urged Annex I Parties to continue providing financial support to the IPCC.