IPCC Process
The Special Report for Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) was prepared following the IPCC Principles and Procedures, as outlined in the graphic.
IPCC Panel
Stages of Report
IPCC Panel Initiates Special Report The IPCC Panel decides whether to prepare an IPCC Special Report, including its scope, outline, and work plan, in consultation with the respective Working Group(s). Policymakers and other users of IPCC Reports may be consulted in order to identify key policy-relevant issues. IPCC Special Reports typically focus on one topic perhaps across Working Groups, unlike the Assessment Reports that cover the breadth and depth of the scientific areas considered by each Working Group.The IPCC Panel approved the development by Working Groups I (The Physical Science Basis) and II (Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability) of the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation at its 30th Session held in Antalya, Turkey on 21-23 April 2009. Prior to that, a scoping meeting of more than 100 experts from 51 countries was held in Oslo, Norway from 23 to 26 March 2009 to provide advice to the Panel on whether to develop a Special Report.
IPCC Panel Initiates Special Report Publication Before publication, Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors address any changes to the text in the underlying chapters arising from approved changes to the Summary for Policymakers. Most IPCC Reports are published commercially. A limited number of free copies may be provided to experts from developing countries and countries with economies in transition. At the time of publication, the first order and second order drafts of the Report, their review comments, and the associated responses to the comments are made publicly available, usually by posting on the relevant IPCC website(s). Publication Governments Nominate Experts as Authors and Review Editors Governments and observer organizations are invited to nominate experts that can serve as Coordinating Lead Authors (CLA), Lead Authors (LA), and Review Editors (RE) for the Report. Governments Nominate Experts as Authors and Review Editors Accepts Report The Panel then meets to accept the underlying Report. Although the Report itself can no longer be changed, it is necessary for the Panel to formally accept the Report at a Session, and note any substantial disagreements. Accepts Report Approves SPM Line-by-Line A Session of the Working Group(s) is convened to approve the Summary for Policymakers line-by-line. Approves SPM Line-by-Line WGI & WGII Bureaux Select Authors and Review Editors Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors, and Review Editors are selected by the relevant Working Group(s) Bureau from the nominations received. Further experts can be invited to fill gaps in expertise. Selection of Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors, and Review Editors reflects the requirements for a range of views; appropriate expertise; and geographic and gender balance, including ensuring representation of experts from developing and developed countries and countries with economies in transition.
Nominees not selected as authors or Review Editors are invited to be expert reviewers.
WGI & WGII Bureaux Select Authors and Review Editors Final Goverment Distribution The final draft of the Report is distributed prior to a Session of the relevant Working Group(s) and the second order draft of the Summary for Policymakers is distributed for additional government comment. There were 1,077 comments on the second order draft of the SREX Summary for Policymakers. Final Goverment Distribution Authors Prepare Draft 1 The writing process is normally initiated by a meeting of all Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors (Lead Author meeting). At this meeting, a more detailed structure is developed for the Report and tasks are allocated to chapter team members. The writing process starts and the first order draft is finalized shortly after the second Lead Author meeting.
The first SREX Lead Author meeting was held in Panama City, Panama, from 9 to 12 November 2009, and the second Lead Author meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam from 22-25 March 2010.
Authors Prepare Draft 1 Authors Prepare Draft 2 Authors prepare the second order draft, taking into consideration all comments received and documenting how each comment was handled. Review Editors ensure that all comments are appropriately considered, that there is a recorded answer for each comment, and that accepted comments are reflected in the text. Authors Prepare Draft 2 Authors Prepare Final Draft After taking into account the comments from the Expert and Government Review, Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors are responsible, along with Review Editors, for writing the final draft of the Report. It is important that Reports describe different (possibly controversial) scientific, technical, and socioeconomic views on a subject, particularly if they are relevant to the policy debate. The second order draft of the Summary for Policymakers is drafted. Authors Prepare Final Draft Authors Prepare SPM Draft 1 The first order draft of the Summary for Policymakers is drafted. The Summary for Policymakers provides a policy relevant and policy neutral synthesis of the key findings of the Report. Authors Prepare SPM Draft 1 Authors Prepare SPM Draft 2 The second order draft of the Summary for Policymakers is drafted. Authors Prepare SPM Draft 2 Authors Prepare SPM Final Draft A Session of the Working Group approves (line-by-line) the Summary for Policymakers, which is consistent with the factual material contained in the full scientific, technical, and socioeconomic content of the Special Report. Coordinating Lead Authors provide technical assistance to ensure consistency between the underlying Report and the Summary for Policymakers. Authors Prepare SPM Final Draft Expert Review The first order draft is circulated to experts with significant expertise and/or publications in particular areas of the Report, and experts nominated by governments and observer organizations. The experts comment on the accuracy and completeness of the scientific/technical/socioeconomic content as well as on the overall balance of the Report. The comments are collected by the Technical Support Unit and discussed at the third Lead Author meeting, which was held 25-28 October 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland. There were 8,056 comments on the SREX first-order draft. Expert Review Expert & Government Review The second order draft of the Report and the first order draft of the Summary for Policymakers are distributed to the governments of the 194 member countries of the IPCC and to the reviewers involved in the expert review. The comments are collected by the Technical Support Unit and discussed at the fourth Lead Author meeting, which was held 16-19 May 2011 in Gold Coast, Australia. There were 9,478 expert and government review comments on the SREX second order draft. Expert & Government Review Government SPM Review The final draft of the Report is distributed prior to a Session of the relevant Working Group(s) and the second order draft of the Summary for Policymakers is released for additional government comment. There were 1,077 comments on the second order draft of the SREX Summary for Policymakers. Government SPM Review
Press / Media Contact
IPCC Working Group II
Technical Support Unit (TSU)
260 Panama Street
Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Phone: +1.650.223.6929
Fax: +1.650.462.5968
Email: tsu@ipcc-wg2.gov