UN panel seeks ways to better assess climate science
By IANSFriday, October 15, 2010
BUSAN - The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has said it will make major changes in the way it works to ensure best assessment of climate science.
The panel considered a number of recommendations made by the InterAcademy Council (IAC) in its independent review into the processes and procedures of the IPCC, it said in a statement Thursday after the end of its plenary session here.
IPCC chair Rajendra Pachauri and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for this review jointly in March 2010.
The IAC published its review Aug 30.
The recommendations include guidance on uncertainty, non-peer-reviewed literature and addressing potential errors.
In addition, the panel agreed to set up a task group that will address the setting up of an executive committee, review key responsibilities of the secretariat, as well as the terms of reference of Chairs and Co-chairs of the Working Groups.
The IPCC decided to implement a rigorous conflict of interest policy and set up a task group to propose options.
It accepted the recommendation to develop a communication strategy and formed a task group to address other IAC recommendations related to IPCC procedures for the preparation of the assessment reports.
The IAC review highlights the contribution the IPCC has made to improving the understanding of the scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects of climate change.
The work to prepare the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), to be published in 2014, remains on course and will benefit from the panel’s decisions, the statement said.
Speaking after the conclusion of the plenary meeting, Pachauri said: “I am pleased that the panel has accepted a number of important recommendations which were made in the IAC review.
“These will strengthen the IPCC and ensure it is able to effectively perform its role in accurately assessing climate science. I look forward to working with the panel to continue the process of reform.”
The IPCC is an interdisciplinary and intergovernmental body comprised of 194 participating countries.
