[Federal Register: May 21, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 97)]
[Notices]               
[Page 28545]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21my07-93]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5798]

 
United States Climate Change Science Program

    The United States Climate Change Science Program requests expert 
review of the fourth and final volume of the Intergovernmental Panel on 
Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (``Climate Change 2007: 
Synthesis Report'').
    The IPCC was established by the United Nations Environment 
Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 
1988. In accordance with its mandate and as reaffirmed in various 
decisions by the Panel, the major activity of the IPCC is to prepare 
comprehensive and up-to-date assessments of policy-relevant scientific, 
technical, and socio-economic information for understanding the 
scientific basis of climate change, potential impacts, and options for 
mitigation and adaptation. The First Assessment Report was completed in 
1990, the Second Assessment Report in 1995, and the Third Assessment 
Report in 2001. Three working group volumes and a synthesis report 
comprise the Fourth Assessment Report. Working Group I assesses the 
scientific aspects of the climate system and climate change; Working 
Group II assesses the vulnerability of socio-economic and natural 
systems to climate change, potential negative and positive 
consequences, and options for adapting to it; and Working Group III 
assesses options for limiting greenhouse gas emissions and otherwise 
mitigating climate change. So far in 2007, all three working groups 
have had their contributions to the Fourth Assessment Report accepted 
by the Panel. These assessments were based upon the peer-reviewed 
literature and have been characterized by an extensive and open review 
process involving both scientific/technical experts and governments 
before being accepted by the IPCC.
    The IPCC Secretariat has informed the U.S. Department of State that 
the second-order draft of the Synthesis Report of the Fourth Assessment 
Report is available for Expert and Government Review. This volume is 
composed of a Summary for Policymakers and an underlying report, 
integrating materials--in a non-technical fashion--contained within the 
three working group contributions to the Fourth Assessment Report.
    The Climate Change Science Program Office (CCSPO) is coordinating 
collection of U.S. expert comments and the review of this collations by 
panels of Federal scientists and program managers to develop a 
consolidated U.S. Government submission. Instructions on how to format 
comments are available at http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/ipcc/syr4ar-review.htm
, as is the document itself and other supporting 

materials. Comments must be sent to CCSPO by 27 June 2007 to be 
considered for inclusion in the U.S. Government collation. Comments 
submitted for consideration as part of the U.S. Government Review 
should be reserved for that purpose, and not also sent to the IPCC 
Secretariat as a discrete set of expert comments.
    Properly formatted comments should be sent to CCSPO at 
SYR-4AR-USGreview@climatescience.gov by COB Wednesday, 27 June 2007. Include 

report acronym and reviewer surname in e-mail subject title to 
facilitate processing.
    For further information, please contact David Dokken, U.S. Climate 
Change Science Program, Suite 250, 1717 Pennsylvania Ave, NW., 
Washington, DC 20006 (http://www.climatescience.gov).


    Dated: May 14, 2007.
Drew Nelson,
Acting Office Director, Office of Global Change, Bureau of Oceans and 
International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E7-9752 Filed 5-18-07; 8:45 am]

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