CLIMATE CHANGE Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions

A report synthesizing the newest research results on climate change, based on discussions and presentations made at the scientific congress “Climate change: Global Risks, Challenges and Decisions” held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in March 2009, was presented to the Prime Minister of Denmark, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, at the European Policy Center in Brussels, Belgium. The report updates the findings of the 2007 Fourth Assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and was published in preparation for the UN Climate Change Conference scheduled to take place in December in Copenhagen. The 36-page report is written for non-specialists and presents an extended and more detailed version of the six key messages emerging from the scientific congress, which attracted over 2000 scientists from 70 countries. The synthesis report was put together by a writing team of 12 scientists from all continents and was reviewed by the Scientific Steering Committee, scientists from the International Alliance of Research Universities, the session Chairs at the congress, and the Earth System Science Partnership.