The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is in the final stages of its Sixth Assessment cycle. Be on the lookout for its AR6 SYR on March 20, 2023.

Every 6 to 7 years, the IPCC publishes comprehensive scientific assessment reports. The last report, the Fifth Assessment Report completed in 2014, provided the main scientific input to the Paris Agreement. Be on the lookout for the Synthesis Report of the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6 SYR) on its scheduled release date of March 20, 2023.

The IPCC is a UN body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change. The body provides political leaders with periodic scientific assessments about climate change. It also covers climate implications, risks, as well as adaptation and mitigation strategies. The assessments help governments develop climate policies. They also offer input into the international negotiations to tackle climate change.

For the assessment reports, experts worldwide volunteer their time as IPCC authors. The IPCC authors evaluate thousands of scientific papers published each year. They provide a comprehensive summary of climate change. They summary includes ways in which adaptation and mitigation can reduce the risks imposed by our changing climate. The IPCC reports are drafted and reviewed in several stages to guarantee objectivity and transparency.

The AR6 SYR covers the content of three Working Groups Assessment Reports: WGI – The Physical Science Basis, WGII – Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, WGIII – Mitigation of Climate Change, and the three Special Reports: Global Warming of 1.5°C, Climate Change and Land, The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate.

The AR6 SYR style is non-technical, in the six official UN languages. It consists of two parts, a Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of 5 to 10 pages and a Longer Report of 30 to 50 pages.

We’re looking forward to reading the report and sharing key takeaways.