Short answers, pulled from the story.
The IPCC was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme. The UN General Assembly endorsed its creation later that same year.
The IPCC shared the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2007 with former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore. The Nobel committee cited the panel's efforts to build and disseminate knowledge about man-made climate change and to lay foundations for the measures needed to counteract it.
The IPCC has 195 member states. Member governments fund the organization through voluntary contributions to a dedicated trust fund established by UNEP and the WMO in 1989.
The Sixth Assessment Report is the IPCC's most recent comprehensive review of climate science. Its three working group contributions appeared between August 2021 and April 2022, and the final Synthesis Report was published in March 2023.
The Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius was published in 2018 at the invitation of the UNFCCC, which needed scientific clarity on the difference between 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees of warming. The report showed that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees was possible but would require deep emissions cuts and rapid changes across all sectors of society.
British energy scientist Jim Skea has served as IPCC Chair since the 28th of July 2023. He is hosted by the International Institute for Environment and Development and succeeded Korean economist Hoesung Lee, who was elected in 2015.
The IPCC faces criticism from two directions: some scientists argue its reports are too conservative and underestimate climate risks, while others question the influence of governments in shaping conclusions. Climate scientist James E. Hansen has specifically argued the panel underestimates sea-level rise risks, while a 2002 ExxonMobil memo to the Bush administration illustrated how industry and political actors have attempted to shape IPCC leadership.