Call for Nominations: Authors and Editors for the IPCC Seventh Assessment Report

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is inviting nominations for consideration as Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors, or Review Editors for the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) of the IPCC. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.

Background

At its 60th Session (Istanbul, Türkiye, 16-19 January 2024) the Panel agreed to continue to prepare comprehensive assessment reports and to maintain the existing Working Group structure:

(i) Working Group I assesses the scientific aspects of the climate system and climate change;

(ii) Working Group II assesses the scientific, technical, environmental, economic, and social aspects of vulnerability to climate change, the negative and positive consequences of climate change, and options for adapting to it;

(iii) Working Group III assesses the scientific, technical, environmental, economic, and social aspects of the mitigation of climate change.

The outlines of the Working Group contributions to the AR7 were developed after a comprehensive scoping process involving the scientific community and governments (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 9-13 December 2024) and were agreed in Plenary at the 62nd Session of the IPCC (Hangzhou, China, 24-28 February 2025).

Expectations

The role of the IPCC is to assess in a comprehensive, objective, open, and transparent way the scientific, technical, and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts, and options for adaptation and mitigation. Therefore, the IPCC requires that the nominee(s) have appropriate expertise.

The task of Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors is a demanding one. They are responsible for drafting the chapters and thereafter revising them considering comments submitted during the two IPCC-mandated reviews – namely an Expert Review and a second review by Governments and Experts. The Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors will be expected to attend four Lead Author Meetings between 2025 and 2027/2028, and virtual chapter drafting meetings. A subgroup of authors will also contribute to drafting, revising, and finalizing the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) for each of the Working Group contributions to the AR7.

The presence of Coordinating Lead Authors and select Lead Authors may be requested at Sessions of the IPCC and its Working Groups to assist in finalizing the SPMs. The time commitment of Review Editors is less than that of Lead Authors but will include attendance at two Lead Authors Meetings during the latter half of the cycle.

A detailed description of the IPCC writing and review process is contained in the “Procedures for the Preparation, Review, Acceptance, Adoption, Approval and Publication of IPCC Reports”. The tasks and responsibilities for Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors, and Review Editors are specified in Annex 1 to these procedures.

Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors, and Review Editors will be selected by the Working Group I, II, and III Bureaus for respective contributions to the AR7. The composition of writing team members for each chapter shall aim to reflect:

• The range of scientific, technical, and socio-economic views and expertise, including experts from academia and practitioners and policymakers;
• Geographic representation (ensuring appropriate representation of experts from developing and developed countries and countries with economies in transition);
• A mixture of experts with and without previous experience in IPCC;
• Gender balance

Please send your nomination(s) for submission in English by 10 April to Megha Sud, Senior Science Officer at megha.sud@council.science. The nominations will then be submitted to the IPCC for consideration.

The selection is done by the IPCC Bureau from nominations of experts solicited by the IPCC Secretariat from governments and observer organizations.