The IPCC has determined the need for a special “peer reviewed” report. The selection of authors has just occurred on March 12, 2017. IPCC acceptance/adoption/approval is scheduled for fall 2018 which means we could make the imminent release of the report a mid term election issue, that climate change is real, immediate and necessary to mitigate on pain of death for everything that lives on this planet.
17 Decision IPCC/XLIV-4.
Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Products, Outline of the Special Report on 1.5°C
Schedule:
31 October- 11 December 2016 Call for author nominations
29 January 2017 Selection of authors 6-12 March 2017
1st Lead Author Meeting 5-11 June 2017
2nd Lead Author Meeting 31 July — 24 September 2017
First Order Draft Expert Review 23 — 29 October 2017
3rd Lead Author Meeting 1 January — 25 February 2018
Second Order Draft Expert and Government Review 9-15 April 2018
4th Lead Author Meeting 4 June — 29 July 20 18
Final Government Review of Summary for Policymakers (SPM) 24 —30 September 2018
IPCC acceptance/adoption/approval
An IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty
Chapter 2: Mitigation pathways compatible with 1.5°C in the context of sustainable development
Methods of assessment and assumptions in the literature
Constraints on, and uncertainties in, global greenhouse gas emissions consistent with warming of 1.5°C compared to 2°C, considering short lived and other climate drivers and taking into account uncertainty in climate sensitivity
Characteristics of mitigation and development pathways compatible with 1.5° C compared with 2°C and, where warranted by the literature, comparison with higher levels of warming. This may, include short and long term time frames, sectorial, regional, demand/supply-side, technological and socio-economic implications
Technological, environmental, institutional and socio-economic opportunities and challenges related to 1.5°C pathways.
I expect that when they start talking about “short lived and other climate drivers” that includes methane releases and when they talk about “higher levels of warming” than 2°C including over short time frames that suggests they may have begun to recognize whats happening in the arctic now.