The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate

This IPCC Special Report provides the latest comprehensive assessment of the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate. It serves policymakers, decision makers, stakeholders, and all interested parties with unbiased, up-to-date, policy-relevant information. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core

Uncertainty and climate change policy

The paper consists of a summary of the main sources of uncertainty about climate change, and a discussion of the major implications for economic analysis and the formulation of climate policy. Uncertainty typically implies that the optimal policy is more risk-averse than otherwise, and therefore enhances the case for action to mitigate climate change

Counteracting the climate effects of volcanic eruptions using short-lived greenhouse gases

A large volcanic eruption might constitute a climate emergency, significantly altering global temperature and precipitation for several years. Major future eruptions will occur, but their size or timing cannot be predicted. We show, for the first time, that it may be possible to counteract these climate effects through deliberate emissions of short-lived greenhouse gases, dampening the abrupt impact of an eruption. We estimate an emission pathway countering a hypothetical eruption 3 times the size of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. We use a global climate model to evaluate global and regional responses to the eruption, with and without counteremissions. We then raise practical, financial, and ethical questions related to such a strategy. Unlike the more commonly discussed geoengineering to mitigate warming from long-lived greenhouse gases, designed emissions to counter temporary cooling would not have the disadvantage of needing to be sustained over long periods. Nevertheless, implementation would still face significant challenges

IPCC Expert Meeting on The Science to Address UNFCCC Article 2 including Key Vulnerabilities

This report contains supporting material to examine the science relating to stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference. The report was prepared for consideration by the IPCC, but it has not been subjected to formal IPCC review processes

Report of the the IPCC Expert Meeting on Emission Estimation of Aerosols Relevant to Climate Change

This report is supporting material prepared for consideration by the IPCC. It was reviewed by participants of the Geneva meeting, but not reviewed through the IPCC formal process

IPCC Expert Meeting Report

This report summarizes the findings and recommendations from the Expert Meeting on New Scenarios, which focuses on the policymaking perspective of climate change, and on climate modeling scenarios for near term and long term

Further Work of the IPCC on Emission Scenarios

This report summarizes recommendations for the development and assessment of new emission scenarios for possible use in the IPCC 5th Assessment Report

Climate Change 2023 : Synthesis report : A report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

This Synthesis Report (SYR) concludes the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The SYR synthesizes and integrates materials contained within the three Working Groups Assessment Reports and the Special Reports contributing to the AR6. It addresses a broad range of policy-relevant but policy-neutral questions approved by the Panel

The Naturalist's Journals of Gilbert White: exploring the roots of accounting for biodiversity and extinction accounting

Purpose This paper explores the historical roots of accounting for biodiversity and extinction accounting by analysing the 18th-century Naturalist's Journals of Gilbert White and interpreting them as biodiversity accounts produced by an interested party. The authors aim to contribute to the accounting history literature by extending the form of accounting studied to include nature diaries as well as by exploring historical ecological accounts, as well as contributing to the burgeoning literature on accounting for biodiversity and extinction accounting. Design/methodology/approach The authors’ method involves analysing the content of Gilbert White's Naturalist's Journals by producing an 18th-century biodiversity account of species of flora and fauna and then interpretively drawing out themes from the Journals. The authors then provide a Whitean extinction account by comparing current species' status with White's biodiversity account from 250 years ago. Findings This paper uses Gilbert White's Naturalist's Journals as a basis for comparing biodiversity and natural capital 250 years ago with current species' status according to extinction threat and conservation status. Further the paper shows how early nature diary recording represents early (and probably the only) forms of accounting for biodiversity and extinction. The authors also highlight themes within White's accounts including social emancipation, problematisation, aesthetic elements and an example of an early audit of biodiversity accounting. Research limitations/implications There are limitations to analysing Gilbert White's Naturalist's Journals given that the only available source is an edited version. The authors therefore interpret their data as accounts which are indicative of biodiversity and species abundance rather than an exactly accurate account. Practical implications From the authors’ analysis and reflections, the authors suggest that contemporary biodiversity accounting needs to incorporate a combination of narrative, data accounting and pictorial/aesthetic representation if it is to provide a rich and accurate report of biodiversity and nature. The authors also suggest that extinction accounting should draw on historical data in order to demonstrate change in natural capital over time. Social implications Social implications include the understanding gleaned from the authors’ analysis of the role of Gilbert White as a nature diarist in society and the contribution made over time by his Journals and other writings to the development of nature accounting and recording, as well as to one’s understanding and knowledge of species of flora and fauna. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge this is the first attempt to analyse and interpret nature diaries as accounts of biodiversity and extinction