University of Reading climate scientists to take leading role in new UN report

Seven researchers from the  have been invited to contribute as lead authors to a new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The University of Reading is the most represented institution in Working Group I globally, with six researchers selected from the Department of Meteorology. Professor Richard Allan, Professor Nigel Arnell, Dr Nicolas Bellouin, Professor Bill Collins, Professor Ed Hawkins and Dr Andrew Turner have all been named as lead authors in Working Group I for the 6th Assessment report (AR6), which will look at how the climate is changing and could change in future. 

Meanwhile, Professor Chukwumerijes Okereke from the Department of Geography and Enviromental Science will be a coordinating lead author for Working Group III, which will assess the options for reducing the rate at which climate change is occurring. His appointment has also been reported by Enviro News Nigeria.   

The three working groups will finalise their contributions by 2021, with a Synthesis Report due in 2022. With 721 experts from 90 countries contributing to the assessment, its conclusions will inform the first Global Stocktake, a periodic review of the progress attained towards the long-term goals set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. 

You can see the original press release on the announcement here, or read the University of Reading's own news release here.

Full list of Reading IPCC authors and chapters:

• Professor Chukwumerijes Okereke (Department of Geography and Environmental Science) Convening Lead Author, Working Group III Chapter 1: Introduction and framing
• Professor Ed Hawkins (National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) and Department of Meteorology) Lead Author, Working Group I - Chapter 1: Framing, context, methods
• Associate Professor Nicolas Bellouin (Department of Meteorology) Lead Author, Working Group I - Chapter 3: Human influence on the climate system
• Professor William Collins: (Department of Meteorology) Lead author Working Group I - Chapter 7: The Earth's energy budget, climate feedbacks, and climate sensitivity
• Professor Richard Allan (Department of Meteorology) Lead author Working Group I - Chapter 8: Water cycle changes
• Associate Professor Andy Turner (Department of Meteorology and NCAS) Lead author Working Group I - Chapter 10: Linking global to regional climate change
• Professor Nigel Arnell (Department of Meteorology) Lead author Working Group I - Chapter 12: Climate change information for regional impact and for risk assessment