being. It is clear from these chapters that there is op- of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 which set targets to reduce
timism that the research and monitoring campaigns greenhouse gases emissions and mitigate climate change.
initiated through International Polar Year 2007–2008
will address these questions and reduce uncertainty Complementary to mitigation, adaptation measures are
about the outlook for ice and snow. needed to respond to the impacts of past and on-going green-
house gas emissions. Adaptation policy and measures, be-
ing region-specific, require increased resolution in scientific
Policy responses and options knowledge and call for regional climate impacts assessment.
In 2000, the Arctic Council, the organization for govern-
How will these changes in ice and snow affect human mental cooperation among the eight Arctic states, decided
well-being? What policy issues will arise from these to conduct a full impact assessment for the Arctic region.
impacts? How are policymakers likely to frame these Completed in 2004, the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment
issues for public consideration and to evaluate the (ACIA) was submitted to the ministerial conference of the
benefits and costs of the policy responses and options Arctic Council. The ACIA is the only regional impact assess-
they identify? In order to answer these questions, we ment conducted for ice and snow covered areas.
address a selection of key policy issues arising at the
global, regional and local or community levels. Under the Norwegian Chairmanship (2006–2009), the
Council is working on follow up on the ACIA’s recom-
Global policy issues
From understanding to addressing climate change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Throughout the 1980s, a growing body of scientific
The mandate of the IPCC is to “assess the scientific, technical
documentation on the potential threat anthropogenic
and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding
climate change could pose to ecosystems and human
of climate change, its potential impacts and options for adapta-
societies led the World Meteorological Organization tion and mitigation.” The IPCC does not carry out research, nor
(WMO) and the United Nations Environment Pro- does it monitor climate-related data or other relevant parame-
gramme (UNEP) to establish the Intergovernmental
ters. Rather, it bases its assessment mainly on peer-reviewed sci-
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. The IPCCs
entific and technical literature that has already been published.
mandate is to assemble the best understanding and
The comprehensive assessment process involves the input of
hundreds of scientists in compiling, analysing and synthesizing
knowledge on climate change, its potential impacts
existing scientific publications to draw conclusions about the
and options for adaptation and mitigation (see box
status of our scientific understanding of climate change.
on the IPCC process).
One of the factors that have made IPCC successful is that it
The first IPCC assessment report in 1990 triggered
strives to be policy relevant but not policy prescriptive. IPCC re-
the negotiation of the United Nations Framework
ports benefit from a process founded on scientific integrity, ob-
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). There-
jectivity, openness and transparency. Confidence in the results
is enhanced through a rigorous review process and an adoption
after, the momentum towards addressing climate
and approval process that is open to all member governments.
change has further increased leading to the adoption
218 GLOBAL OUTLOOK FOR ICE AND SNOW