In the latest stage of the review process for the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report, governments and experts are expected to review second order drafts.
This stage will continue through May 2014, and the current assessment cycle is expected to culminate in October 2014 with the release of the Synthesis Report.
5 October 2012: The Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is inviting member governments to comment on second order drafts of its Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), in the latest stage of its multi-stage review process.
Three government and expert reviews, which are scheduled to be undertaken between October 2012 and May 2013, are part of the IPCC’s assessment process. In this second stage, these three reviews in turn assess second order drafts from Working Groups I, II and III, on, respectively: the physical science basis of climate change; impacts, adaptation and vulnerability; and mitigation of climate change.
These reviews are the second phase in the IPCC’s review process for the AR5. In the preceding stage, scientific experts reviewed the first order drafts. The Working Groups responded to these comments in order to produce the second order drafts. In the subsequent stage, governments will comment on the draft Summary for Policymakers. Among other things, the second phase aims to ensure the Report: represents the latest scientific and technical findings; provides a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the current information; and is consistent with the mandate of the working groups. [IPCC Press Release] [UNEP Press Release]