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IPCC publishes Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation — In May 2011, the summary for policymakers of the ‘Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation’ (SRREN) by the Working Group III has been approved by government representatives for IPCC member countries in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The full report is available for download at: http://srren.org |
The Working Group III (WG III) of the IPCC focuses its work on the mitigation of climate change. The IPCC has the responsibility of providing policy makers with objective scientific and technical findings that are policy relevant but not policy prescriptive. The IPCC is aimed at serving as an honest broker between science and policy makers and other relevant stakeholders. The IPCC WG III assesses all relevant options for mitigating climate change through limiting or preventing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhancing activities that remove them from the atmosphere. WG III analyses the costs, benefits and risks of the different approaches to mitigation, considering also the available domestic instruments and policy measures as well as international arrangements. The WG III is Co-Chaired by Ottmar Edenhofer, Youba Sokona and Ramon
Pichs. Jan Minx is the Head of the Technical Support Unit
(TSU).
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Assessment Reports
At regular intervals, the IPCC presents comprehensive scientific
assessments of the existing scientific, technical and socioeconomic
literature on climate change. The broad and geographically-balanced
participation of experts from all relevant fields of knowledge and the
rigorous and transparent multi-stage review process result in
authoritative and unbiased reports. The Fourth Assessment Report (AR4)
has been published in 2007 and the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) will
be finalized in 2014.
To provide the best scientific knowledge to stakeholders, the IPCC WG
III is leading a number of activities such as the publication of
Special Reports and hosting expert meetings.
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Special Reports
One of these activities is the publication of a Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation (SRREN). As shown in the AR4, renewable energy sources can make a substantial contribution to climate change mitigation as early as 2030. The SRREN aims at a comprehensive assessment of renewable energy technologies and related policy and financial instruments by providing substantial new information, analyses, and evidence reported in the literature on the technological development and deployment, regional assessments, environmental, socioeconomic and sustainability impacts, cost reductions, and the practical experience with the implementation of renewable energies. The SRREN has been finalized and published in May 2011.
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Expert Meetings and Workshops
The IPCC organizes Expert Meetings and Workshops to facilitate discussions of topics relevant to the assessment process and to receive early input from the scientific community. In order to enhance coordination across the Working Groups in the preparation of the IPCC Assessment and Special Reports, topics of a cross-cutting nature are of particular interest. Proposals for Expert Meetings and Workshops are approved of by the IPCC Plenary. The nomination process for the two kinds of events differs, as for Workshops government nominate experts, while for Expert Meetings, attendees are nominated by the Working Group Co-Chairs.
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The IPCC WG III TSU plays a strong scientific leadership role in Expert Meetings, Special Reports, and the Fifth Assessment Report, as well as in management of the complex communications and implementation activities associated with IPCC. It facilitates the work of the hundreds of volunteer authors and participants who contribute to these products, and ensures wide dissemination of the findings to a broad range of audiences – from the general public to the scientific community, decision makers and an array of other stakeholders. The TSU is housed at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Potsdam, Germany.
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