IPCC authors meet in Tanzania to advance report on physical science of climate change – EnviroNews

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Scientists of the Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which assesses the physical science of climate change, are meeting in Arusha, Tanzania, from November 2 to 6, 2026, to advance their contribution to the Seventh Assessment Report. The meeting is hosted by the government of the United Republic of Tanzania through the Tanzanian Meteorological Authority.

A total of 197 Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors and Review Editors are contributing to the Working Group I contribution to the Seventh Assessment Report.

“Bringing authors together after the First Order Draft review is essential to ensuring the quality and credibility of the report,” said Working Group I Co-Chair Xiaoye Zhang.

“The Lead Author Meeting provides an opportunity to discuss key issues, identify areas where clarifications are needed, and build consensus on how best to assess the available evidence. This collaborative work helps lay the foundation for a rigorous and policy-relevant Second Order Draft,” added Zhang.

During the meeting, authors will assess and address all comments received during the First Order Draft expert review, which ran from August 10 to October 2, 2026, and will prepare the Second Order Draft of the report in accordance with IPCC procedures.

“The breadth and depth of expertise involved in this report demonstrate the global scientific community’s commitment to advancing our understanding of climate change,” said Robert Vautard, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group I. “The Lead Author Meeting provides an essential opportunity for authors to work together, across chapters and strengthen the scientific foundation of the assessment.”

IPCC’s Working Group I assesses the physical science basis of climate change, including observed changes in the climate system, the causes of climate change, projections of future climate change and extreme events, and the information needed to support adaptation and mitigation responses.

The outline of the Working Group I report was agreed by governments during the 62nd Session of the IPCC Panel in Hangzhou, China, in February 2025.

While in Tanzania, the IPCC Working Group I will also deliver an outreach event on November 4, 2026, at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology and the Institute of Accountancy Arusha.

The event aims to increase awareness of the IPCC process and encourage scientists, experts and practitioners working on climate change-related issues to participate in the IPCC process, particularly during the seventh assessment cycle.