IPCC and the Science of Climate Change Lecture

These vocabulary flashcards provide key definitions, institutional structures, and scientific findings from the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) as presented in the lecture.

IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established by UNEP and WMO in 1988 to provide regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, impacts, risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation.

IPCC Mandate

To assess the knowledge basis of climate change, its impacts, and options for response; the panel does not conduct its own research and produces reports that are "policy relevant but not policy prescriptive."

Working Group I (WG I)

The branch of the IPCC structure that assesses the physical science basis of the climate system and climate change.

Working Group II (WG II)

The branch of the IPCC structure focusing on impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability of natural and social systems.

Working Group III (WG III)

The branch of the IPCC structure that examines options for the mitigation of climate change.

Coordinating Lead Author (CLA)

A lead author responsible for coordinating the contributions of other authors and attending all author meetings during the report preparation process.

AR6 Unequivocal Finding

The 2021 statement that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land is now considered unequivocal.

Global Surface Temperature Increase

The global temperature increased by $1.1\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ during the 2011-2020 period compared to the 1850-1900 baseline.

Hazard

A natural or human-induced physical event that has the potential to cause damage and loss of life.

Exposure

The presence of people and systems in places and settings that could be affected by hazards.

Vulnerability

A propensity or predisposition to be adversely affected when exposed to a hazard.

Risk

The potential for adverse consequences for something of value, resulting from interactions between hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and response.

Confidence Language

The specific IPCC terminology used to communicate the level of certainty in findings, ranging from very low to very high confidence.

Adaptation

The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities.

Mitigation

Human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.

Net Global GHG Emissions in 2019

Emissions in 2019 were $12\,\%$ higher than they were in 2010.

Mitigation Potential by 2030

Options costing $\$100\,\text{USD}\,\text{tCO}_2\text{-eq}^{-1}$ or less could reduce global emissions by at least half of the 2019 level.