NZ Climate Change Centre

The first-order draft report of Working Group II of the IPCC will become available for global expert review on 11 June 2012. The Working Group II report covers issues related to observed and projected impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation to climate change. It includes a chapter (No 25) covering specifically impacts and adaptation options for Australia and New Zealand.

The full list of chapter titles is provided on the IPCC Working Group II website here.

By providing expert review comments reviewers will assist the author teams to identify and correct any errors and to make sure that the report is comprehensive and balanced in its treatment of available published scientific information and uncertainties. This is also an opportunity to ensure that appropriate research from New Zealand has been considered by the chapter authors.

Experts interested in reviewing the draft should contact the Working Group II Technical Support Unit at tsu@ipcc-wg2.gov, who will provide them with details on how to register. Once registered, they will be sent details on how to access the draft from 11 June 2012, and there will be an eight week period (until 6 August 2012) during which they can submit review comments.

A person does not necessarily need to be a working scientist to qualify as relevant expert; practitioners involved in adaptation decision-making, and who need to draw on scientific information for their decisions, provide important perspectives on impacts and adaptation. Please note though that the draft is strictly confidential and is made available only for the purpose of review, and its content must not be used, cited or distributed in any form.  The chapter authors will produce a revised draft following the review period, taking into account the full range of comments they receive. This “Second Order Draft” will then undergo a further round of Government and Expert review.

Additional information regarding the Working Group II AR5 writing process may be accessed here.