Statement by Mr M. Jarraud, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization following the report by the Inter-Academy Council of Sciences on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
GENEVA, 31 August 2010 (WMO) – The Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Mr Michel Jarraud, welcomed the review of the IPCC working procedures and processes by the Inter-Academy Council of Sciences (IAC). The IAC recommendations, which will be submitted to the IPCC Plenary in October, would strengthen the IPCC. The IAC Report and follow-up action will be brought to the attention of the 16th World Meteorological Congress (Geneva, Switzerland, 16 May - 3 June 2011).
“As a co-founder, WMO has been pleased and proud to co-sponsor with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and host the IPCC for the past 22 years.” Mr Jarraud pledged the continued support of the World Meteorological Organization, in particular through its co-sponsored programmes the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), which have been the principal provider of the scientific and technical information underpinning IPCC assessments.
Society needs reliable information about the climate regime and its anticipated impacts to protect lives and property against natural hazards; to guide investment and infrastructure planning; to sustain economic development and to minimize the risk of conflicts over water, food and energy.
The IPCC Assessment Reports provide the most complete, up-to-date picture of climate change available in a form accessible to policymakers, who need to integrate science into decision-making. The Reports are snapshots in time, reflecting the science available at the time of publication. In just a few years, climate scientists have accrued massive amounts of data in a dynamic and evolving process.
Science has provided sufficient evidence to support the overwhelming conclusion that climate is changing as a result of human activity. Scientists around the world continue to interpret the details, to quantify specific timelines, trends and statistics. This scientific process must continue, shielded from political influence.
Early warnings and analysis of extreme weather events by WMO and the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services of its Members, and the annual WMO Statement about the Global Climate help meet the need for real-time assessments identified by the IAC Review. Together with the IPCC Reports, they underpin the intensive work that is being undertaken to shape the Global Framework for Climate Services which is needed to respond to current and future climate change impacts.
WMO is the United Nations System’s authoritative voice on weather,
climate and water.
For more information please contact:
Ms Carine Richard-Van Maele, Chief, Communications and Public Affairs, Tel.: +41 (0)22 730 8314/15; E-mail: cpa[at]wmo.int; or
Ms Clare Nullis, Media Officer, Tel. +41 (0) 22 730 8478. E-mail: cnullis[at]wmo.int
