Hello (again) from Working Group II! 👋🏼

We are in the last week of the AR7 author nominations and we are back again with our 🌸 mini interviews with authors 🌸 to get a glimpse of what it really means to be an IPCC author. This time, we are working with Future Earth to feature their past lead authors who've been a part of the IPCC.

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Today, we have past author from AR6 Working Group III, Prof Chioma Daisy Onyige, who is the Professor of Criminology at the Department of Sociology, University of Port Harcourt. They share about the difficulties of working on the report remotely, especially when internet is intermittent in Nigeria but also the fun humorous moments as an author in the 6th Assessment Report. Read on below.

Prof Chioma Daisy Onyige on funny monents in online meetings 🖥️, aligning insights from diverse authors 🤝, and the value of being an author 📃 ⤵️

How did you first get involved as an author? How is it different from your day-to-day?

I served as a Lead Author for the IPBES Africa Regional Assessment (Deliverable 2b) from 2014 to 2018. Therefore, when the call for experts for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) was announced, I was motivated to apply as a Lead Author based on my previous experience.

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Is it true that this is a big undertaking? How did you manage your role as an author with your day-to-day responsibilities?

Serving as an IPCC Lead Author is a significant responsibility, requiring considerable commitment. Although the role is voluntary and largely unpaid, the full extent of its scope becomes clear only through firsthand experience. Tasks were assigned by the Coordinating Lead Authors (CLAs) of my chapter, each with specific deadlines to meet. One of the most challenging aspects of contributing to the AR6 report was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic 😷, which eliminated opportunities for face-to-face meetings. As a result, work was carried out remotely from home, and the pressure of meeting tight deadlines often led to overlaps between the report-writing and analysis processes and my day-to-day responsibilities. ✏️

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What are some of the challenges of being an IPCC author?

One significant challenge of serving as an IPCC author is managing the considerable workload, which involves rigorous research, analysis, and writing under tight deadlines. Since the role is voluntary and largely unpaid, balancing IPCC responsibilities alongside personal and professional commitments can be demanding. Additionally, during the development of the AR6 report, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted our ability to collaborate face-to-face, shifting all interactions to virtual platforms. This transition posed difficulties in coordination and communication, especially given that low internet connectivity in Nigeria (where I was based) at the time created major obstacles for me to fully contribute in chapter meetings. These constraints required enhanced adaptability, resilience, and effective time management. 🕦

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This is a massive report and author teams are diverse. How do authors work together to decide what goes into the final report?

In my chapter, the author team comprised individuals from diverse geographical regions and varied fields of expertise. Decisions about content inclusion in the final report were collectively made, with team members providing convincing justifications for either adding or excluding specific information. Additionally, we were careful to avoid redundancy by ensuring our chapter did not repeat topics already comprehensively addressed in other sections of the report. 🔄

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What are the highlights of being an IPCC author? Any fun anecdotes?

Some key highlights of being an IPCC author was collaborating with diverse and highly skilled experts from around the globe, each bringing unique insights, experiences, and perspectives to our team. Engaging in rigorous scientific discussions and debates was both intellectually rewarding and personally fulfilling, especially during the Covid-19 lockdown. Despite the challenging workload, there were lighter moments that stood out—such as creatively overcoming technological hurdles during virtual meetings.

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Due to frequent internet disruptions in Nigeria, I often had to join chapter discussions from unconventional locations, sometimes even outdoors, in search of a better signal. Additionally, because of significant time zone differences, it was amusing to occasionally see colleagues joining meetings in their pyjamas or fresh out of the shower wearing bathrobes. 👕 These experiences not only provided humorous anecdotes but also underscored our collective adaptability, camaraderie, and commitment to the IPCC’s mission.

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Why was it important to be an IPCC author?

I want to actively contribute to the global effort of identifying and implementing solutions to climate change. Being part of the IPCC allows me the opportunity to collaborate with dedicated experts committed to safeguarding our planet, ensuring it's preserved and protected for future generations. 🌏

We have concluded all our webinars for the IPCC AR7 nomination cycle! However, if you'd like to check out deep dive videos of the Working Group outlines, understand how nominations are done, and also other details, check out the link in this next section!

Curious about the nomination process?

We know it can be confusing so we put together a list of links that you need to know about the process of being nominated, what to expect, how to get nominated and more.

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Progress of our reports 🗓️

Working Group II contributions to the 7th Assessment Report ​ Where we are at 👉 Call for nominations of AR7 authors from 7 March 2025 to 17 April 2025, midnight CEST ​ Up next 👉 Selection of authors

​ ​ Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (SR Cities) ​ Where we are at 👉 First Lead Author Meeting (LAM1) just concluded on 14 March 2025 ​ Up next 👉 Second Lead Author Meeting (LAM2) in July 2025

The IPCC Working Group II update is an independent effort of the IPCC Working Group II Technical Support Unit meant to provide informal updates about the work of the Working Group and should not be taken as official communications from the IPCC. If you would like to reach out to the IPCC, please get in touch with the media contacts at the IPCC Secretariat (ipcc-media@wmo.int) or Working Group II (media@ipccwg2.org).

IPCC Working Group II Update #10 | 13 April 2025