The CLARE Programme invites you to an upcoming online training session on how to become an IPCC Expert Reviewer, hosted in collaboration with the IPCC Technical Support Unit (TSU). The training will be held on 8 October 2025 from 12:00-14:00 GMT+2. This training is open to the public and interested participants are invited to register here (Zoom link shared upon registration). Early Career Researchers and Practitioners from the Global South are particularly encouraged to register.

IPCC Special Report on Cities and Climate Change

As part of the IPCC’s 7th Assessment Report cycle, a Special Report on Cities and Climate Change is currently being developed. This report positions cities as central to climate action and aims to provide robust scientific evidence to inform policy and urban design for climate-resilient development.

The report will cover the following chapters:

1. Cities in the context of climate change: framing of the report
2. Cities in a changing climate: trends, challenges and opportunities
3. Actions and Solutions to Reduce Urban Risks and Emissions
4. How to Facilitate and Accelerate Change
5. Solutions by City Types and Regions

Why become an IPCC Expert Reviewer?

• Ensure the scientific consensus reflects the realities and priorities of the Global South
• Identify gaps where your work can contribute to the report
• Be acknowledged as an official expert reviewer

What will the training cover?

This 2-hour session will be led by experts from the IPCC TSU, offering practical guidance on:

• Navigating the online review portal
• Preparing and submitting effective comments and reviews

Who should attend?

If your work aligns with the themes of the report—or if you’re planning to engage with the broader 7th Assessment Report—this training is for you. Whether you’re a first-time reviewer or returning after a break, the session is designed to build your confidence and capacity to contribute meaningfully.

We especially encourage Early Career Researchers and Practitioners from the Global South to register.

Overview of Training

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the international body responsible for establishing the consensus on the latest scientific knowledge on climate change for governments. The IPCC undergoes 7-year Assessment Report (AR) cycles and includes special reports on topics of relevance. Currently the IPCC is embarking on the process for developing the AR 7 reports (to be published in 2029) as well as the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (to be published in 2027). All IPCC reports undergo open peer review processes, which allow global experts to provide feedback and influence the content of these reports. However, participation in the review process is disproportionately lower from experts from the Global South and is often dominated by Northern experts.

CLARE is a flagship research programme on climate adaptation and resilience, funded mostly (about 90%) by UK Aid through the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and co-funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. CLARE is bridging critical gaps between science and action by championing Southern leadership to enable socially inclusive and sustainable action to build resilience to climate change and natural hazards. The CLARE Programme currently runs from 2023 – 2026, and the outputs of the programme are likely to advance understanding of climate risks and adaptation in Africa and Asia which can inform upcoming IPCC reports.

The intention of the IPCC reviewer training is to raise awareness of the opportunities for the CLARE community, and beyond, to engage with the IPCC process and to encourage experts (researchers, practitioners and decision-makers) from the Global South to participate in the First Order Draft (FOD) and Second Order Draft (SOD) of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.

Aims and Objectives of Training

The aim of the IPCC reviewer training is to encourage participation in the IPCC review process. This aim will be achieved through the following objectives:

• Create awareness of the processes of being IPCC expert reviewers
• Increase number of Southern experts from within and beyond CLARE engaging in review process of IPCC Special Report on Cities
• Supporting CLARE researchers to share relevant knowledge to be considered by IPCC authors for inclusion in the IPCC special report on Cities

Training Outline

The training session will consist of the following: