IPCC Fourth Assessment Report - Synthesis Report

Synthesis Report

A draft version of the Synthesis Report, said to be subject to final copyedit, was published on 16 November 2007.

The Synthesis Report goes one step further : it is the decisive effort to integrate and compact this wealth of information into a readable and concise document explicitly targeted to the policymakers. The Synthesis Report also brings in relevant parts some material contained in the full Working Group Reports over and above what is included in the Summary for Policymakers in these three Reports. It is designed to be a powerful, scientifically authoritative document of high policy relevance, which will be a major contribution to the discussions at the 13th Conference of the Parties in Bali during December 2007. In fact, this Conference was postponed to December to allow the IPCC Synthesis Report to come out first.

— Press conference for the release of the IPCC Synthesis Report

The six topics addressed in the Synthesis Report are:

1. Observed changes in climate and its effects (WGI and WGII).
2. Causes of change (WGI and WGIII).
3. Climate change and its impacts in the near and long term under different scenarios (WGI and WGIII).
4. Adaptation and mitigation options and responses, and the inter-relationship with sustainable development, at global and regional levels (WGII and WGIII).
5. The long term perspective: scientific and socio-economic aspects relevant to adaptation and mitigation, consistent with the objectives and provisions of the Convention, and in the context of sustainable development (WGI and WGIII).
6. Robust findings, key uncertainties (WGI, WGII and WGIII).

The "Convention" mentioned in Topic 5 is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The key findings from the AR4 Synthesis Report will be discussed Wednesday 13 December 2007 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 13—CMP 3) in Bali, Indonesia, which takes place 3–14 December (see UNFCCC home page).