1. IPCC Procedures for the Preparation of Technical Papers At its Eleventh Session (Rome. December 11-15. 1995), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change adopted by consensus the following procedures for the preparation of Teclinical Papers. 2. IPCC Technical Papers are prepared on topics for which an independent, international scientific/technical perspective is deemed essential. They: b. a. are based on the material already in the IPCC assessment reports and special reports; are initiated: (i) in response to a formal request from the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change or its subsidiary bodies and agreed by the IPCC Bureau; or (ii) as decided by the Panel; are prepared by a team of authors, including a convening lead author, selected by the IPCC Bureau, in accordance with the guidelines for the selection of lead authors ‹ ɔntained in the IPCC Procedures'; are submitted in draft form for simultaneous expert and government review at least four are revised by the led authors based upon the comments received in the step above, are finalized by the lead authors, in consultation with the IPCC Bureau which functions if necessary, as determined by the IPCC Bureau, would include in an annex differing views, based on comments made during final government review, not otherwise adequately reflected in the paper. 3. Such Technical Papers are then made available to the Conference of the Parties or its subsidiary body, in response to its request, and thereafter publicly If initiated by the Panel. Technical Papers are made available publicly. In either case, IPCC Technical Papers prominently state in the beginning: 4. "This is a Technical Paper of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change prepared in response to a [request from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] [decision of the Panel]. The material herein has undergone expert and government review but has not been considered by the Panel for possible acceptance or approval." The Panel agreed that these procedures should be reviewed in 1997. The Procedures state: "Preparation of the first draft of a report should be undertaken by lead authors identified by the relevant Working Group bureau from those experts cited in the lists provided by all countrics and participating organizations, with due consideration being given to those known through their publication or work In sofar as practicable, the composition of the group of lead authors for a section of a repon shall reflect fair balance among different points of view that can reasonably be expected by the Working Group bureau, and should include si least one expert from a developing country. 2 It may be recalled that in the preparation of its contribution to the IPCC Second Assessment Report. Working Group I conducted die expert and government reviews concurrently. The time given for expert and 5. The IPCC requested its Bureau to consider initiating Technical Papers on the following topics (which respond to requests from the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) in 1996, after consultation in the IPCC/SBSTA (COP) Joint Working Group: Technology transfer; Impacts (scientific, economic and environmental) of climate change and of response measures emphasizing the needs and opportunities for developing countries; Global stabilization of greenhouse gases concentrations (looking at scenarios and pathways to stabilization); Simple Climate Models. |