The World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme created the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 1988. The United Nations endorsed the creation of this panel later in 1988 through a General Assembly resolution.
Jim Skea serves as Chair since July 2023, following Korean economist Hoesung Lee who held the position from 2015. Each Working Group has two Co-Chairs representing both developed and developing countries.
The First Assessment Report led directly to the establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1994. The Second Assessment Report provided important material for negotiations leading to the Kyoto Protocol signed in 1997, while the Fifth Assessment Report served as the scientific foundation for the landmark Paris Agreement reached in 2015.
One hundred ninety-five member states contribute to funding through voluntary annual payments totaling around eight million euros in 2022. Scientists who serve as authors receive no compensation for their work and depend on salaries from home institutions.
The IPCC shared the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2007 with former U.S. Vice-president Al Gore for building knowledge about man-made climate change. In October 2022, the IPCC and IPBES won the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity together for producing scientific knowledge to alert society.