Sustainable Capabilities

It can be daunting to know where to start when researching climate change, whether for your own understanding or for academic and career purposes. In this post, I will highlight the UN bodies and reports that should be consulted on your journey to climate awareness.

1. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
   1. The IPCC is the UN body responsible for conducting scientific analysis and reporting on climate change. These reports are central to understanding global warming, regional and sector greenhouse gas emissions, and the steps that should be taken to respond to climate change.
   2. On 20 March 2023, the Summary for Policymakers of the Synthesis Report of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (“Synthesis Report”) was published. The Longer Report of the Synthesis Report (“Longer Report”) was released on 22 March 2023 and the full volume of the Synthesis Report will be released soon by the IPCC.
   3. The Longer Report notes that the purpose of the Synthesis Report is to summarise the status of climate change risks, impacts, adaptation and mitigation measures identified since the release of the 2014 Fifth Assessment Report.
   4. It highlights the reality that while those communities and regions that have contributed the least to climate change are the most vulnerable to the impacts of it, future warming arising from greenhouse gas emissions will have multiple and concurrent impacts on all regions, people and ecosystems.
   5. Reading the report can trigger an array of emotions, and it is important to recognise that there is a global community of individuals, organisations, research institutions and grassroots movements that are committed to transforming this. As the Longer Report notes, public awareness and a widening range of participants have helped to influence political and global efforts.
   6. Importantly, the Longer Report notes that Indigenous Knowledge and local knowledge, together with scientific knowledge can help with climate adaption gaps, and that climate resilient development strategies are effective when they incorporate biodiversity and ecosystems, climate and society as components of a linked system.
   7. Here is the link to the IPCC YouTube channel for further information and to watch live-streams of discussions.
2. The secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
   1. This is the UN body responsible for supporting efforts to combat climate change. On the website, you will find information relating to the Paris Agreement and information about climate finance.
   2. The secretariat co-ordinates the annual climate conference, the Conference of the Parties (COP). During the conference, country representatives, non-governmental organisations, activists, and lobby groups participate in workshops and negotiations, with competing interests and power dynamics coming into play. This influences the outcomes of the COP and determines the extent of the progress that is agreed to be taken, in overcoming the challenges with climate change.
   3. It is useful to go through the links on COP27 held in Egypt and COP26 held in Scotland, to get an idea of the themes and discussions covered.