IPCC Statement on the US announcement to withdraw from participation in IPCC

GENEVA, Jan 8 – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has taken note of the US government’s announcement about its withdrawal from more than 60 UN and non-UN organisations, including the IPCC.

The IPCC is an organisation consisting of governments that are members of the United Nations or the World Meteorological Organisation. As such, and in line with the principles governing IPCC’s work, participation in the work and processes of the IPCC is voluntary, free and open to all WMO and UN Member countries – with or without a formal announcement.

“The preparation of the scientific reports agreed by the member governments for this assessment cycle is underway. The Panel continues to make decisions by consensus among its member governments at its regular Plenary sessions. Our attention remains firmly on the delivery of these reports,” said IPCC Chair Jim Skea.

The IPCC is a unique interface between science and policy. Because of the IPCC’s scientific and intergovernmental nature, its assessments of scientific knowledge related to climate change provide rigorous and balanced scientific, evidence-based actionable information to the world’s decision-makers.

IPCC reports provide governments at all levels with scientific information to support the development of climate policies. They also deliver key scientific inputs into international climate change negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The IPCC is the longest-standing intergovernmental panel. It has a unique capacity to assess and synthesise the vast and exponentially growing body of scientific knowledge on climate change, its impacts, and available responses.

-Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change