The IPCC publishes comprehensive assessment reports on the state of climate research approximately every five to seven years. The seventh assessment cycle (AR7) began in July 2023 with the election of the new IPCC and Task Force Bureau and is now entering the reporting phase. Three reports from the individual Working Groups I-III and a synthesis report summarizing these reports and all cycle-specific special reports and methodology reports are to be produced.
The purpose of the IPCC is to assess policy-relevant information relevant to the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. The IPCC assessment reports are an important scientific contribution to climate policy and international negotiations. The schedule is aligned with key milestones in global climate policy, such as the second “Global Stocktake” of the Paris Agreement in 2028. Working Group I (WG I) will report on the Physical Science Basis, Working Group II (WG II) on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, and Working Group III (WG III) on Mitigation of Climate Change.
Prof. UZ Dr. Barbara Amon was selected as coordinating lead author for Chapter 13, “Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU),” in Working Group III. The nomination and selection of authors is subject to strict rules and procedures. The IPCC calls on member governments and observer organizations to submit nominations. A total of 3,771 experts were nominated to contribute to the Seventh Assessment Report, with Germany submitting a total of 120 nominations. The chairs of the three IPCC working groups selected a total of 664 experts from 111 countries. Particular attention was paid to technical expertise, regional balance, gender balance, and the participation of both IPCC-experienced and new experts. Eleven German authors will be involved in WG III. Two of the German authors, Barbara Amon and Andreas Löschel, will serve as coordinating lead authors.
The three reports of the IPCC working groups are expected to be published in mid-2028, while the synthesis report, which concludes the entire cycle, is to be approved by the end of 2029.
About the IPCC reports:
The IPCC follows a highly structured and transparent process in preparing its reports, involving multiple drafts and open peer review by experts and governments, with the aim of ensuring scientific rigor, policy relevance, and global consensus. After several rounds of revision, the Final Draft Report and a summary for Policymakers (SPM) are produced. This summary is subject to line-by-line approval by the IPCC Plenary. Formal endorsement is carried out by governments, while the authors simultaneously ensure scientific integrity.