DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 10262]
Call for Expert Reviewers To Contribute to the U.S. Government
Review of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special
Report on the Impacts of Global Warming of 1.5 [deg]C Above
Preindustrial Levels and Related Global Greenhouse Gas Emission
Pathways in the Context of Strengthening the Global Response to the
Threat of Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Efforts to
Eradicate Poverty. (Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 [deg]C)
The United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), in
cooperation with the Department of State, requests expert review of the
second-order draft of the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5
[deg]C, including the first draft of its Summary for Policymakers
(SPM).
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) established the IPCC in 1988. As
reflected in its governing documents (the IPCC's ``principles and
procedures''), 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. IPCC reports should be
neutral with respect to policy, although they may need to deal
objectively with scientific, technical, and socio-economic factors
relevant to the application of particular policies. The principles and
procedures for the IPCC and its preparation of reports can be found at:
https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/ipcc-principles/ipcc-principles.pdf and
http://ipcc.ch/pdf/ipcc-principles/ipcc-principles-appendix-a-final.pdf. At
the 44th Session of the Panel (Bangkok, Thailand, October 17-20, 2016),
the IPCC approved the outline for the Special Report on Global Warming
of 1.5C. Writing team nominations were submitted by the IPCC deadline
of December 11, 2016, and author appointments made on January 23, 2017.
The Table of Contents for the Special Report can be viewed here:
http://ipcc.ch/meetings/session44/l2_adopted_outline_sr15.pdf. As reflected
in the IPCC's principles and procedures, review is an essential part of
the IPCC process. Since the IPCC is an intergovernmental body, review
of IPCC documents involves both peer review by experts and review by
governments. The
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purpose of these reviews is to ensure that the Reports present a
comprehensive, objective, and balanced view of the areas they cover.
All IPCC reports go through two broad reviews: a ``first-order
draft'' reviewed by experts, and a ``second-order draft'' reviewed by
both experts and governments. The IPCC Secretariat has informed the
U.S. Department of State that the second-order draft of the Special
Report on Global Warming of 1.5 [deg]C is available for Expert and
Government Review.
As part of the U.S. Government Review, starting on 8 January 2018,
experts wishing to contribute to the U.S. Government review are
encouraged to register via the USGCRP Review and Comment System
(https://review.globalchange.gov/). Instructions and the report itself
will be available for download. The USGCRP coordination office will
compile U.S. expert comments and submit to the IPCC, on behalf of the
Department of State, by the prescribed deadline. U.S. experts have the
opportunity to submit properly formatted comments via the USGCRP Review
and Comment System (https://review.globalchange.gov/) from 8 January to
8 February 2018. To be considered for inclusion in the U.S. Government
submission, comments must be received by 8 February 2018.
Experts may choose to provide comments directly through the IPCC's
Expert Review process, which occurs in parallel with the U.S.
Government Review. Registration opened on 15 December 2017, and runs
through 18 February 2018:
https://www.ipcc.ch/apps/comments/sr15/sod/register.php
The Government and Expert Review of the IPCC Special Report on
Global Warming of 1.5 [deg]C ends February 25, 2018.
This notice will be published in the Federal Register.
Holly Kirking-Loomis,
Acting Director, Office of Global Change, Department of State.
Alison Mize
Director of Public Affairs
Ecological Society of America
1990 M Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
www.esa.org<http://www.esa.org>
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
703.625.3628 (cell)
202.833.8773 ext. 205 (office)
