New Delhi, March 12: The UN has ordered the Inter-Academy Council, a respected independent scientific body, to review the work of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC). The panel has been under pressure over errors in its last major assessment of climate science in 2007. The review was demanded by world governments last month.
UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, has asked IAC to do an independent review of IPCC’s processes and procedures to strengthen the quality of the panel’s reports.
Interestingly, the 18-member IAC has an Indian representative — M Vijayan of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. He will be part of the team that would prepare the review report. “We are meeting on March 22 and 23 in Amsterdam and will discuss the measures needed to review IPCC’s work,” said Vijayan, who is part of the molecular biophysics unit of IISc.
Ban said the review was being done to examine how IPCC’s reports are prepared, including the use of non-peer reviewed literature and the reflection of diverse viewpoints. The review would also examine institutional aspects, including management functions and the panel’s procedures for communicating its findings.
“Because work for IPCC’s fifth assessment report has begun, it is urgent that IAC submits its report by August 31 to allow for the submission of a document for consideration at the 32nd session of IPCC in October 2010. Timely submission is needed to allow governments to see the report and prepare to take necessary actions,” Ban said.
With agencies
—Agencies