This document summarizes a study on engaging early career researchers (ECRs) in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment process. A survey of over 600 ECRs and interviews with 10 IPCC experts found that most ECRs are interested in contributing but lack information on opportunities. The main barriers for ECRs are limited funding, time constraints, and lack of communication from IPCC. Recommendations include improving information sharing, facilitating group reviews, and establishing a database and quotas for promising ECRs, especially from developing countries. ECRs bring benefits like continuity, workload sharing, and new perspectives, but both IPCC and ECRs need to take further steps to realize their potential

1. Semnan University
Mohammad Rahimi
OUTREACH EVENT ON THE ACTIVITIES AND FINDINGS OF THE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE (IPCC),Tehran, I.R. of Iran
18 June2018
Towards a more Integrated Role for
Early Career Researchers in the IPCC
process

2. The first idea:
Workshop “Integrating science across the IPCC on
climate risk and sustainable solutions: Lessons
learnt from AR5 to inform AR6,”
co-organized by Future Earth and PROVIA, and co-sponsored by
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
Stockholm, Sweden, 29 – 31 August 2016.
Carla Gulizia, Jo-Ting Huang-Lachmann, Gaby Langendijk, Pablo Borges de
Amorim, Mohammad Rahimi, Rafaela Flach, Cicilia Githaiga.
YOUNG EARTH SYSTEM SCIENTISTS community

3. Research Questions
● How could ECRs increasingly contribute to the IPCC process?
• How aware are ECRs of the IPCC process and possibilities to get
engaged?
• How motivated are ECRs to contribute to IPCC process?
• What would be possible opportunities for ECRs
to get engaged?
• What are the barriers hindering ECRs from participating in the IPCC
process?
Note: ECRs were considered to be young researchers in the broader sense, ranging from Bachelor and
Master students, PhD students, researchers within/equal to 5 years after obtaining PhD, as well as
young practitioners and scientists with academic degrees under 35 years old.

4. Methodology
• Survey from ECRs ( > 600 responses worldwide )
i) general information about ECRs;
ii) the level of knowledge on the IPCC process and opportunities for
involvement;
iii) motivation for contributing;
iv) obstacles and limitations.
• Interviews with 10 key experts involved in IPCC previously or
currently
• Analysis of results:
- Survey: Python explorative & statistical study among sub-groups
(scientific expertise and geographic background);
- Interviews: R Package for Computer-Aided Qualitative Data Analysis
(RQDA)

5. Responses

6. Responses

7. Responses

8. Responses

9. Results from survey

10. 52%
28%
4%
15%
1%
2. Are you interested in getting involved in the coming assessment
report, AR6, or upcoming special reports of IPCC?
Very interested (80-100%)
Interested (60-80%)
Little interests (20-40%)
Some interests (40-60%)
No interests (0-20%)

11. 0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
Concernofnotenough
knowledgeorcapacityto
beabletocontribute
Other
Jobchangefromacademia
toindustriesorcivil
society
Lackofinformationhowto
participateintheprocess
Lackofsupportfrommy
institute
Lackofsupportfrom
seniorscientists’
experienceorguidance
Lackoftime
Lackoffinance
4. What would be the biggest obstacle if you would like to contribute but cannot?

12. 30%
17%
0%
40%
12%
1%
6. How much information did you find on how to join the IPCC process as
an early career scientist?
Some information (40-60%)
Sufficient information (60-80%)
(blank)
Little information (20-40%)
No information (0-20%)

13. 0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Answer Not sure/Not
enough
information
Producing
research
outcomes to be
included in next
assessment
reportsfor
example AR6
Expert reviewer Chapter scientist Contributing
chapter scientist
Author
Qtd
Answer
6. If you would like to contribute, what role would you aspire to have?

14. 0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Reputation To contribute to science Network To improve the process No motivation
3. What is your motivation to contribute to the IPCC process?

15. Results from interviews

16. Benefits ECRs bring to IPCC
1. Continuity of IPCC
2. Share of workload
3. Improved quality control of IPCC products
4. Original view, independent and open minded
5. Novel and/or diverse analytical tools and approaches
6. Communication technology and visualization of information
7. Bring in interdisciplinary and possibly even transdisciplinary views
8. Enthusiasm and spirit
9. Amplifying effects of ECR networks

17. Barrier for ECRs to participate
1. Formal regulation and nomination restrictions
2. Limited financial support
3. Competitive selection process
4. Time constraints vs. long assessment cycle
5. ECRs too junior for IPCC
6. Communication of opportunities by IPCC
7. Timidity and low confidence of ECRs
8. Inconsistent inclusiveness of IPCC towards ECRs
9. Limited flexibility of IPCC, mainly due to its formal institution
and heavy work load

18. Recommendations for IPCC
1. Communication of opportunities for ECRs to contribute
2. Initiate and/or facilitate group reviews for ECRs
3. Hold ECRs workshops
4. Establish database of promising ECRs to participate in IPCC
process, with special emphasis on developing countries
5. Connect to ECR networks to disseminate information, opportunities
and to recruit potential ECRs
6. Improve transparency of participatory process for ECRs, e.g. of
chapter scientists
7. Explore possibility to include a quota of ECRs for the assessment
cycles

19. Recommendations for ECRs
1. Establish a scientific career and pursue strong publication record
2. Become a reviewer of IPCC reports
3. Establish direct contact to LA or CLA
4. Connect to the scientific community in home country
5. Participate and/or organize a group review among ECRs
6. Participate in country/regional related meetings of IPCC and/or ECRs
7. Be courageous, experimental and vocal
8. Be pro-active and participatory
9. Bring in new ideas, innovation, independent thinking and
perspectives
10. Go beyond IPCC; be entrepreneurial, original and innovative

20. Conclusion:
ECRs have great potential to actively contribute to the IPCC process and
stir the field of climate change research towards a truly interdisciplinary direction

21. Thank you