Experts in the fields of climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability will meet virtually from August 17 to 28, 2020 to advance work on the contribution of Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).
Adapting to the challenges of a world of lockdowns and social distancing, up to 300 scientists and experts from around the world will come together online for two weeks to continue their work on the Second Order Draft of the Working Group II Assessment Report.
The Working Group II contribution to AR6 will cover the impacts of climate change on human and natural systems, their vulnerabilities, and the capacities they must adapt to climate change. It will also cover options for creating a sustainable future for all through an equitable and integrated approach to adaptation efforts at all scales, linking to the assessment of climate mitigation options by Working Group III.
“Dealing with the climate crisis, its impacts on humans and societies, and on ecosystems and biodiversity as well as minimising such impacts, including future pandemics and biodiversity loss, have become central topics of integration across chapters in the Working Group II report,” said Hans-Otto Pörtner, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group II.
The aim of the planned virtual meetings is to ensure coherence across the entire report and to facilitate such coordination across chapters so that all report objectives are met. Despite the enormous challenges authors and scientists are facing in the current COVID-19 crisis, work on the Second Order Draft continues, he said.
“During these uncertain times, there is increasing public interest in the forthcoming IPCC Assessment Report, and growing anticipation. COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of an evidence-led response to global challenges. Given that climate change is one of the most significant global challenges we face this century, it is critical that the IPCC continues to provide the scientific evidence to inform bold and ambitious climate action,” said Debra Roberts, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group II.
“We want to thank our authors for their commitment and dedication, and for ensuring that the work on the WG II report continues during this difficult time,” she said.
The Second Order Draft of the Working Group II Report will be open for Government and Expert Review from December 4, 2020 to January 29, 2021, along with the first drafts of the Summary for Policymakers and Technical Summary. The Fourth Lead Author Meeting to prepare the final draft is currently scheduled for March 2021.
The agreed outline of the report can be found here. The list of authors of the report can be found here.
The intention is to release the Reports of the three Working Groups and the Synthesis Report in time to inform the 2023 Global Stocktake by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), when countries will review progress towards the Paris Agreement goals, including the goal of keeping global warming to well below 2°C while pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
