The IPCC assessments 219Socio-economic assumptions
(WGII/Ch 3; WGIII/Ch 2 - SRES)Emissions scenarios
(WGIII/Ch 2 - SRES)Concentration projections
(WGI/Ch 3,4,5)Radiative forcing projections
(WGI/Ch 6)Climate projections
(WGI/Ch 8,9,10)Sea level projections
(WGI/Ch 11)Global change scenarios
(WGII/Ch 3)Interactions and feedbacks(WGI/Ch 3,4,5,7; WGII/Ch3)Impacts
(WGII)Climate scenarios
(WGI/Ch 13)Policy responses: adaptation and mitigation(WGII; WGIII)Figure 9.1The cascade of
uncertainties in projections
to be considered in
developing climate and
related scenarios for
climate change impact,
adaptation and mitigation
assessment. The chapters
in the IPCC 2001 Report
that deal with the various
components are also
identified.(UNEP). The IPCC’s first meeting in November 1988 was timely; it was
held just as strong political interest in global climate change was be-
ginning to develop. The Panel realised the urgency of the problem and,
under the overall chairmanship of Professor Bert Bolin from Sweden,
established three working groups, one to deal with the science of climate
change, one with impacts and a third one to deal with policy responses.
The IPCC has produced three main comprehensive Reports,^3 in 1990,
1995 and 2001, together with a number of special reports covering par-
ticular issues. Previous chapters have already referred widely to these
reports.
I would like to say more about the Science Assessment Working
Group (of which I was chairman from 1988 until 1992 and co-chairman
from 1992 until 2002).^4 Its task has been to present in the clearest poss-
ible terms our knowledge of the science of climate change together with
our best estimate of the climate change over the twenty-first century that
is likely to occur as a result of human activities. In preparing its reports
the Working Group realised from the start that if they were to be really
authoritative and taken seriously, it would be necessary to involve as
many as possible of the world scientific community in their production.