International approach to climate change

Recognising the problem of potential global climate change, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. It is open to all members of the UN and WMO.

The role of the IPCC is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. The IPCC does not carry out research nor does it monitor climate related data or other relevant parameters. It bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific/technical literature.

The IPCC has three Working Groups and a Task Force investigating climate change:

• Working Group 1 assesses the scientific aspects of the climate system and climate change; 
• Working Group 2 assesses the vulnerability of socio-economic and natural systems to climate change, negative and positive consequences of climate change, and options for adapting to it;
• Working Group 3 assesses options for limiting greenhouse gas emissions and otherwise mitigating climate change; and
• the Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories is responsible for the IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme.

A main activity of the IPCC is to provide in regular intervals an assessment of the state of knowledge on climate change. The IPCC also prepares Special Reports and Technical Papers on topics where independent scientific information and advice is deemed necessary and it supports the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) through its work on methodologies for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. The three working groups have recently released summaries for policy makers;

• Working Group 1 - the Physical Science Basis
• Working Group 2 - Impact, Adoption and Vulnerability
• Working Group 3 - Mitigation of Climate Change

The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), 'The Synthesis Report', was launched on the 17 November 2007. It contains a summary for policy makers on the above reports from the three working groups.

USAID Report - clean energy solutions

On 29 May 2007, the Bangkok-based USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia launched From ideas to action: clean energy solutions for Asia to address climate change. The report analyses the role that clean energy can play in Asia's development, with a focus on Asia's six largest developing economies; China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The report is available from the USAID website.