DURBAN – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II, which deals with the impacts, adaptation and vulnerability to climate change, will start preparing its contribution to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) with a meeting of experts in Durban from 20 to 25 January.
The IPCC is the United Nations' body for assessing the science related to climate change.
More than 250 authors and IPCC bureau members from more than 60 countries will gather for their first lead author meeting to map out their assessment and details of the drafting process, said an IPCC press release circulated by eThekwini Municipality on Wednesday.
“The Working Group II contribution to the sixth assessment report focuses on the impacts of climate change on natural and human systems and their vulnerabilities. It also analyses the capacities and limits of these systems to adapt to climate change and options to reduce climate-associated risks and for creating a sustainable future,” said the statement.
The report, along with contributions from the other two IPCC working groups, will be finalised in 2021.
“Working Group II authors will look closely at the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, human wellbeing, functioning of society and evaluate options for adaptation in the context of solution pathways at local, regional and global scales,” said IPCC Working Group II co-chair, Hans-Otto Pörtner.
“The Working Group II report will provide a profound scientific basis for country efforts to reduce the risks from climate change,” said Pörtner.
After the Durban meeting, authors will develop a draft of the report for internal review. The first order draft will be available for expert review from October 18 to December 13, 2019.
The second order draft will be open for government and expert review from August 7 to October 2, 2020, along with the first draft of the summary for policymakers (SPM). The approval of the SPM is currently scheduled for October 4 to 8, 2021, said the statement.