IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)

Belspo hosts the national focal point for the IPCC and thus plays a crucial role in coordinating Belgium's involvement in the IPCC. The national focal point serves as the main communication channel between the IPCC and the Belgian government. Additionally, Belspo plays an essential role in determining the national position and coordinating national input, and facilitates the involvement of national experts and stakeholders in the IPCC process.

The IPCC is an international body dedicated to assessing scientific, technical, and socio-economic information on climate change. The IPCC was established in 1988 by the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Its primary objective is to provide policymakers and governments worldwide with objective and reliable information on the state of science regarding climate change.

The IPCC brings together thousands of scientists from around the world to assess and report on the latest findings in climate science. The process of producing IPCC reports is thorough and rigorous, with multiple evaluation rounds and involvement of experts and policymakers. IPCC reports are globally recognized as the most authoritative sources of information on climate change.

The importance of the IPCC lies in providing policymakers with the necessary knowledge and scientific insight to make informed decisions. IPCC reports form the basis for international climate negotiations and contribute to the development of effective climate policy measures. They help governments and policymakers understand the risks and impacts of climate change and identify adaptation and mitigation strategies.

As the host of the national focal point, Belspo supports the following tasks:

• Determining Belgium's position for IPCC meetings and identifying the content for IPCC reports;
• Organizing the work of the IPCC assessments, including procedures, methods, and budgets;
• Identifying important themes and questions for policymakers on climate change;
• Staying informed about emerging issues and topics with groundbreaking scientific results;
• Evaluating and approving the IPCC budget;
• Nominating experts for expert meetings or workshops;
• Nominating authors for IPCC reports or chapters;
• Nominating candidates for IPCC chairmanship and the IPCC bureau;
• Conducting detailed evaluations of summaries for policymakers;
• Developing funding mechanisms for experts from the Belgian research community;
• Making arrangements for Belgium's representation in plenary meetings and working group meetings in addition to the IPCC Focal Point.

Belspo plays thus an active role in supporting the IPCC by providing scientific evidence to policymakers and society at large, helping them formulate effective policies to manage the global climate crisis.