The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (
IPCC) is a scientific
intergovernmental body under the auspices of the
United Nations, set up at the request of member governments. It was first established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations, the
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and later endorsed by the
United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 43/53. Membership of the IPCC is open to all members of the WMO and UNEP. The IPCC produces reports that support the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is the main international treaty on climate change. The ultimate objective of the UNFCCC is to "stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic [i.e., human-induced] interference with the climate system". IPCC reports cover "the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential
impacts and options for
adaptation and
mitigation."
