Chapter 7 Australian Participation in the IPCCC

Australian Input to IPCCC Assessments

The Australian scientific and technical input to the IPCC Assessment process and to its published reports has been effected through a number of mechanisms:

Lead authors, contributors and review editors. A large number of Australian experts have served as coordinating lead authors, lead authors and contributors to the various Working Group reports. Since the completion of the SAR in 1995, many have been involved in the preparation of the IPCC Technical Papers and Special Reports (see below). Since the instigation, just prior to the TAR, of the Review Editor category for expert participation, several Australian experts have served in that role.

Organisation of, and participation in, task groups and workshops. Australia has organised and hosted a number of formal Workshops in support of the IPCC work program and contributed funding to others hosted elsewhere. A much larger number of informal scientific workshops was organised involving lead authors and others to plan and review the content of the various chapters of the IPCC reports.

Expert review. More than one hundred Australian scientists and other experts have contributed to the scientific peer review process for drafts of the IPCC WGI, WGII and WGIII reports as well as the Technical Papers and Special Reports.

Country review. The country review process has been carried out differently in Australia for Working Groups I, II and III. Working Group I drafts have largely been reviewed through one or two day work- shops with a consolidated report of the workshops, including both individual reactions and general comments on matters on which there was broad consensus amongst the participants, being passed to the Working Group Technical Support Unit and lead authors. The same approach was initiated for Working Group II during the review process for the TAR, while for earlier Working Group II and all Working Group III drafts, the country reviews have mostly been carried out through consolidation of written comments and their consideration in small meetings of key agencies convened by the coordinating Government departments.