The IPCC Synthesis Report: linking science with policy relevance

In this lecture Professor Jim Skea outlines the main messages from IPCC synthesis report, drawing out the implications and exploring the grey area where science and policy meet.

The IPCC Synthesis Report,draws together the conclusions of the underlying IPCC reports on the physical basis of climate change, climate impacts and adaptation, and emission reductions. It forms the scientific bedrock on which countries will negotiate next steps at the crucial climate conference in Paris in 2015. The report, like all IPCC products, is intended to be ‘policy relevant’ but not ‘policy prescriptive’.

Jim is Professor of sustainable energy based in the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial and has been the Research Councils UK Energy Strategy Fellow since 2012.

Prior to this, Jim was Research Director of the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) for 8 years. His distinguished career history along with his current membership of the UK Committee on Climate Change and a vice-chairmanship of the IPCC make him a leading expert in energy & climate change policy.

Jim has research interests in energy, climate change and technological innovation. He was awarded a CBE for services to sustainable energy in 2013 and an OBE for services to sustainable transport in 2004.

This lecture was filmed on 26 November 2014