Jan 31, 2018 - I would like to thank the WMO for their hospitality in hosting us here in Geneva, and the. Government of
Do Not Cite, Quote or Distribute
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
Opening statement for the 55th Session of the IPCC Bureau Geneva, 31 January 2018 IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee
Welcome to the 55th Session of the IPCC Bureau.
I would like to thank the WMO for their hospitality in hosting us here in Geneva, and the Government of the Swiss Confederation for their support.
We are here today to produce a list of coordinating and lead authors and review editors for AR6, based upon selections by the WG bureaus over the last two days of hard work.
I would like to thank the three Working Group bureaus for their dedication to the IPCC.
The success of the IPCC starts from formulating a critical mass of quality authors for each chapter of the assessment reports.
I expect that the list we produce today will reflect this critical mass, taking into account the balance of expertise, geographical coverage and gender.
Since the beginning of the Sixth Assessment Report, many governments in the IPCC expressed the importance of regional information in AR6 and many of them also expressed the need for improving intraregional balance in author representation.
I want to remind you that members of the IPCC Bureau have an important contribution to make here. The Bureau terms of reference assign specific responsibility to Bureau members to encourage the participation of scientists from their regions in IPCC activities.
Improved intraregional balance in author selection will be in line with the increasing demand for quality information in regions throughout AR6. IPCC Secretariat c/o WMO · 7 bis, Avenue de la Paix · C.P: 2300 · CH-1211 Geneva 2 · Switzerland telephone +41 22 730 8208 / 54 / 84 · fax +41 22 730 8025 / 13 · email
[email protected] · www.ipcc.ch
Author selection is just a first step toward successful AR6.
Many steps remain which will require the Bureau’s continued contribution.
The Bureau will provide further impetus for the success of AR6 because the IPCC holds the Bureau responsible for looking after the scientific and technical aspects of IPCC products.
I want to flag up four points on this aspect, reflected in our rules and procedures and IPCC decisions.
First, the IPCC requires the Bureau to oversee scientific quality with respect to IPCC assessment reports,
Second, it requires the Bureau to provide guidance on cross-cutting scientific issues related to the drafting of reports. With this guidance in hand, the WG Co-Chairs can oversee the treatment of cross-cutting themes and prepare a glossary common to all WGs as mandated by (P-46 Decision on Chapter outline)]
Third, it requires the members of the Bureau to advise coordinating lead authors, lead authors and Review Editors.
Fourth, it recommends the Bureau to identify relevant literature published in languages other than English (P-41 Decision 4), to use WG Vice Chairs to improve access to non-English literature, and to approach authors of such literature to serve as Expert Reviewers, Contributing Authors and Chapter Scientists.
Several of these points will be addressed in-depth today. I hope that the outcome of the 55th Session of the Bureau will be an important landmark for success of the AR6.
We are at the start of a historic year for the IPCC. Our work on the selection of authors and editors will allow the substantive work on AR6 to get under way soon. Working Group I will be holding its first lead author meeting in a few months’ time.
As we meet here, the government and expert review of the second order draft of Global Warming of 1.5ºC is continuing. -2-
This special report -- one of the most keenly awaited in our history – will be released in just over eight months.
Meanwhile, work continues apace on the other two special reports, on Climate Change and Land and on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, and on the 2019 Refinement to our methodologies. It is fitting that this unprecedented level of work is taking place in our 30th anniversary year. In 2018 we are looking back on three decades as the voice of climate science, contributing to evidence-based policy-making around the globe.
I look forward to productive discussions.
Follow IPCC on
Facebook,
@IPCC_CH,
-3-
LinkedIn and
Instagram.
