Introduction to the Working Group II Fourth Assessment Report

A. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme in 1988, in response to the widespread recognition that human-influenced emissions of greenhouse gases have the potential to alter the climate system. Its role is to provide an assessment of the understanding of all aspects of climate change.

At its first session, the IPCC was organised into three Working Groups. The current remits of the three Working Groups are for Working Group I to examine the scientific aspects of the climate system and climate change; Working Group II to address vulnerabilities to, impacts of and adaptations to climate change; and Working Group III to explore the options for mitigation of climate change. The three previous assessment reports were produced in 1990, 1996 and 2001.