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IPCC Updates #14 - Experts needed to review the first draft of SR Cities!
Published 19 days ago • 4 min read
Hello from Working Group II! 👋🏼
Wow, it's now Update #14. It's been awhile since the last update but our team just concluded the 2nd Lead Author Meeting for our Special Report on Climate Change and Cites that was held in Mombasa, Kenya last month! The end of this meeting brings us closer towards the First Order Draft, which will be open to the public for expert review in a month. BUT registration is already open for urban experts to express interest. More on this (and more) below.
Experts needed to review the First Order Draft of the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities
The First Order Draft is well on its way! This marks the first version of the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.
This draft, once complete, is subjected to a rigorous, open, and transparent expert review process, where volunteer experts from around the world provide feedback to help ensure the report is a comprehensive, balanced, and scientifically sound assessment of climate change.
Registration opens 17 September 2025. The review only begins on 17 October 2025.
We've selected the authors for WG II's contribution to the 7th Assessment Report (AR7)
We've selected the authors for Working Group II's contributions to the 7th assessment report! This is a big report for us with 20 chapters and the Technical Guidelines on Impacts and Adaptation.
We have a big and diverse author pool that we are really proud of, and we are excited to get to work and meet them at our First Lead Author Meeting (LAM1).
About the Expert Review for the First Order Draft (FOD) of SR Cities
The Expert Review of the First Order Draft (FOD) is the first opportunity for experts worldwide to provide feedback on the draft chapters of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities. This Special Report is a major global scientific assessment dedicated to understanding how cities contribute to and are critical actors in addressing climate change.
Anyone with relevant expertise, whether from academia, government, city administrations, NGOs, or professional practice, can participate. Reviewers help ensure the report reflects the best available knowledge and covers diverse perspectives.
The last day to register is on 30 November 2025, and the review period closes on 12 December 2025.
Here's the process to register as an Expert Reviewer (save this infographic!).
If you'd like to register as an expert, please click the button below!
About the Working Group II's selected authors for the 7th Assessment Report (AR7)
Here is a graphical look at the data on the 249 selected authors for WG II AR7!
Beyond geographical breakdown, we have also identified the following information:
Authors selected play a variety of roles - from Coordinating Lead Authors (CLAs), to Lead Authors (LAs) and Reviewer Editors. More about these roles here. The list of selected Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors and Review Editors by Working Group contribution to AR7 and chapter can be accessed here.
We are excited to be working alongside this diverse team of authors, and we look forward to LAM1! *Graphics are produced by the Working Group II Technical Support Unit
Upcoming events
We are headed to Bangkok Climate Action Week!
Winston, Co-Chair of WG II (Singapore), and Theresa, Head of Science (Singapore) will be attending a bunch of events in Bangkok including the 9th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation (APAN) Forum. If you will like to attend our events, feel free to drop us an email: media@ipccwg2.org
We will be at COP30 in Belem, Brazil!
Our team will be at COP30 in Belem this year. With a focus on cities and climate change, and adaptation, we'd love to meet likeminded partners working on these topics and share more about IPCC's work! If these topics align with your work, feel free to drop us an email: media@ipccwg2.org
What we've been up to 🌍
SR Cities authors at LAM2
We just concluded the Second Lead Author Meeting (LAM2) for the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities! We were hosted by the amazing team in Mombasa, Kenya, which provided a serene and inspiring backdrop for our authors to discuss key elements of the report in-person with fellow Chapter teammates. Authors also got to engage with local stakeholders during field trips to sites such as Fort Jesus and also visits to informal settlements.
Bart speaking at the Amsterdam Zoo
Our Co-Chairs have also been very busy with public engagements, which allow us to share our work at the IPCC Working Group II. Our public engagements span a variety of stakeholders, from students to sustainability professionals. We believe that it is important to communicate how IPCC reports are deliberated on and produced, so that we can deliver something that the community recognises as important and understands how it impacts their daily lives.
Winston in conversation with Damilola Ogunbiyi (CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, and Co-Chair of UN-Energy), Piyush Gupta (Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Singapore Management University) and Dr Rajiv Lall (Chairman of CoST – the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative).
Progress of our reports 🗓️
Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (SR Cities) due Mar 2027
Where we are at👉 Preparation of First Order Draft (FOD) in October 2025
Up next👉 Expert Review of the FOD on 17 October 2025, and Third Lead Author Meeting (LAM3) in January 2026
Working Group II contributions to the 7th Assessment Report (AR7) due 2029
Where we are at👉 AR7 authors selected!
Up next👉 First Lead Author Meeting (LAM1) in December 2025
Have questions for us?
💬 If you are interested in speaking with or interviewing Co-Chairs Bart van den Hurk, Winston Chow, our report authors, Bureau Members, please feel free to contact us at media@ipccwg2.org
If you know others who might want to keep up with our activities, please share the sign up link to our mailing list here:
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).
Get behind-the-scenes look at the making of these major international climate reports!
If you a climate expert, practitioner aspiring climate scientist, or just a keen observer of what's happening in the climate science space that would like to follow our journey as the IPCC Working Group II, this page is for you!
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