cc: tar_la@earth.usgcrp.gov, tar_reved@earth.usgcrp.gov,  wgii.bureau@earth.usgcrp.gov, ddokken@earth.usgcrp.gov
date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 18:13:46 -0500
from: ddokken@usgcrp.gov (Dave Dokken)
subject: Approved WG2 TAR Outline
to: tar_cla@earth.usgcrp.gov

IPCC WORKING GROUP II
THIRD ASSESSMENT REPORT OUTLINE
Climate Change: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability

Part I. Setting the Stage for Impact, Adaptation, and Vulnerability Assessment

Chapter 1. Overview  (15 pp.)

Chapter 1 will explain the importance of the issue of climate change
impacts on environmental and human systems, introduce some of the concepts
and terms used in the report, and provide a guide for using the report in
language accessible to non-specialist audiences.

Executive Summary
1.1     Climate change impacts: what is potentially at stake
1.2     Overview of policy-relevant scientific/technical questions
addressed in the report
1.3     The nature of impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability: illustration
and integration of key concepts
1.4     Audiences and information needs addressed
1.5     "Users' Guide" to the WG II TAR (e.g., treatment of
uncertainties/levels of confidence)
Chapter 2. Methods and Tools (20 pp.)

This chapter will assess approaches available in the literature and
describe the methods and tools that will be used in regional and sectoral
analyses.

Executive Summary
2.1     Observational studies, including non-climate indicators of climate
change and responses to climate variability
2.2     Methods for assessing impacts and vulnerability, including
historical case studies, scenario analysis, thresholds, modeling, critical
zones and populations, tolerable windows, and integrated assessment
2.3     Costing and valuation methods and issues (joint with WG III, Chapter 7)
2.4     Decision analytic methods and frameworks (joint with WG III, Chapter 10)
2.5     Alternative methods for explicitly incorporating uncertainty  and
characterizing "levels of confidence"
Chapter 3: Development and Application of Scenarios in Climate Change
Impact, Adaptation, and Vulnerability Assessment (20 pp.)

Executive Summary
3.1     Definitions and uses of scenarios
3.2     Types of global change scenarios
3.3     Characterizing present-day conditions (baselines)
3.4     Developing socio-economic scenarios (c.f. WG III Chapter 2)
3.5     Developing land surface change scenarios
3.6     Developing environmental scenarios
3.7     Developing climate change scenarios (cross cut to WG I Chapter 13)
3.8     Representing feedbacks and consistency between scenarios
3.9     Description and evaluation of baseline data and projections
provided by the IPCC Data Distribution Centre (DDC)
3.10    Facilitating the distribution, use, and interpretation of scenarios


Part II. Sectors and Systems: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability

Building on the conclusions of the SAR, recent developments in the state of
knowledge of climate change impacts will be assessed. Special attention
will be given to vulnerabilities, natural variability, baseline trends,
cross-sectoral issues, non-linear interactions, and adaptation options. The
developments in experimental work, observations, and modeling that
contributed to advances in the state of knowledge will be assessed,
including estimation of confidence in reported results. For major
components and subcomponents, the chapters of this section will assess or
review (as relevant):
* Current status and projected trends/demands
* Major findings of SAR with respect to systems and human uses
* Analysis of natural response of systems (sensitivity, vulnerability,
adaptation) using scenarios as per Chapter 3
* New knowledge, including:
a.      direct effects of CO2 fertilization/N deposition, surface ozone
b. direct effects of climate variables
c. effects of variability/extreme events
d. interactions with other environmental conditions (e.g., pollution)
e.      effects on production, distribution (market/non-market) systems,
and human communities
f.      effects on biodiversity and wildlifeg.  potential surprises,
thresholds, and indicators of system instability
h.      directed adaptation and responses
i.      tools/methods/approaches/models used in developing new knowledge,
including assumptions, sensitivities, and scenarios used in models

Chapter 4: Hydrology and Water Resources (20 pp.)

Executive Summary
4.1     Introduction and scope (including types of effects and
cross-sectoral impacts)
4.2     The state of knowledge of climate change impacts on hydrology and
water resources
4.3     The hydrological cycle, including precipitation, evaporation,
runoff, soil moisture, groundwater, and extreme hydrological events,
including effects on erosion
4.4     Water demands (quantity and quality) for natural and managed
ecosystems, municipal, industrial, navigation, and recreational uses, and
competition among demands
4.5     Water supply (quantity and quality) for different types of systems
4.6     Management implications and adaptation options, including responses
to extreme hydrological events
4.7     Integration, including relative importance of climate change and
other pressures, identification of key vulnerabilities, potential for
non-linear interactions, and other cross-cutting issues
4.8     Science and information needs, including monitoring

Chapter 5: Natural and Managed Ecosystems  (40 pp.)

Executive Summary
5.1     Introduction and scope (including types of effects and
cross-sectoral impacts)
5.2     The state of knowledge of climate change impacts on landscapes:
global distribution of biomes/vegetation types/ecotones, including
transitions from one type of system to another; ecosystem
functions/processes, including state of knowledge of carbon budget;
biodiversity, migratory wildlife, and endangered species; protected areas
and conservation reserves; global markets and distribution of food and
fiber
5.3     Agriculture
5.4     Grasslands/Rangelands/Grazing systems
5.5     Savannas/Woodlands
5.6     Forests/Forestry
5.7     Deserts
5.8     Lakes/Streams/Freshwater fisheries and aquaculture
19.1 Wetlands
19.2 Mountain Regions
5.11    Cryosphere
5.12    Integration, including relative importance of climate change and
other pressures, identification of key vulnerabilities, adaptation
potential and opportunities, valuation of systems and their services,
potential for non-linear interactions, and other cross-cutting issues
5.13    Science and information needs, including monitoring

Chapter 6: Coastal Zones and Marine Ecosystems (20 pp.)

Executive Summary
6.1     Introduction and scope (including types of effects and
cross-sectoral impacts)
6.2     The state of knowledge of climate change impacts on coastal zones
and marine ecosystems, including sea-level rise
6.3     Ecosystems (including fisheries) and biogeochemical functions
6.4     Biogeophysical aspects of coastal zones
6.5     Indices of social and economic vulnerability of coastal zones to
climate change and sea-level change
6.6     Adaptation
6.7     Integration, including relative importance of climate change and
other pressures, identification of key vulnerabilities, potential for
non-linear interactions, and other cross-cutting issues
6.8     Science and information needs, including monitoring

Chapter 7: Energy, Industry, and Settlements (20 pp.)

Executive Summary
7.1     Introduction and scope (including types of effects and
cross-sectoral impacts)
7.2     The state of knowledge of climate change impacts on human
population migration/security and settlements
7.3     Industry, energy, transportation, and other climate-sensitive sectors
7.4     Infrastructure (e.g., utilities, waste management, sanitation)
7.5     Vulnerabilities of human settlements by type (e.g., coastal, arid
region, agrarian, urban)
7.6     Management implications and adaptation options
7.7     Integration, including relative importance of climate change and
other pressures, identification of key vulnerabilities, potential for
non-linear interactions, and other cross-cutting issues
7.8     Science and information needs, including monitoring

Chapter 8: Financial Services (15 pp.)

Executive Summary
8.1     Introduction and scope (including types of effects and
cross-sectoral impacts)
8.2     The state of knowledge of climate change impacts and adaptation
19.1 Financial aspects of impacts and adaptation
19.2 Institutional mechanisms to cover the cost of impacts and adaptation
investment, including insurance, governmental, and multi-lateral mechanisms
8.5     Private-sector mechanisms, including primary insurance and reinsurance
8.6     Governmental and multilateral financial mechanisms
19.1 Other financial services
19.2 Case studies
8.9     Integration, including relative importance of climate change and
other pressures, identification of key vulnerabilities, potential for
non-linear interactions, and other cross-cutting issues
8.10    Science and information needs, including monitoring

Chapter 9: Human Health (20 pp.)

Executive Summary
9.1     Introduction and scope (including types of effects and
cross-sectoral impacts)
9.2     The state of knowledge of climate change impacts on health
9.3     Sensitivity, adaptation and vulnerability
9.4     Thermal stresses (heatwaves, cold seasons)
9.5     Extreme weather events
9.6     Air pollution (gases, fine particulates)
9.7     Aeroallergens (spores, moulds, etc.)
9.8     Vector-borne infectious diseases
9.9     Other infectious diseases (esp. water-borne and food-borne)
9.10    Integration, including relative importance of climate change and
other pressures; identification of key vulnerabilities; health as
integrating concept and its relationship to water resources/quality,
food/fiber security, natural and managed ecosystems interactions, and
socio-economic disruption/migration; potential for non-linear interactions;
and other cross-cutting issues
9.11    Science and information needs, including monitoring

Part III. Regional Analyses: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability

Each chapter will focus on key findings of the Regional Impacts Special
Report and update regional baselines and trends (climate, socio-economic,
and other environmental). Each chapter and subchapter will explore what has
been learned regarding the context of change, sensitivity, adaptation, and
vulnerability of key sectors and an integrated cross-sectoral and
cross-regional analyses. The template will be tailored as appropriate for
each region, giving full consideration to social/equity issues relevant to
the region or sectors.

Common template for each chapter

Executive Summary
X.1     Summary of the important issues in the Regional Impacts Special Report
X.2     Baseline data, including climatic and socio-economic
X.3     Regional scenarios
X.4     Hydrology and water resources
X.5     Ecosystems and agriculture, including food security
X.6     Coastal zones and marine ecosystems, and sea-level change
X.7     Energy, industry, and settlements
X.8     Financial services
X.9     Human health
X.10    Integration and synthesis, including relative importance of climate
change and other pressures, identification of key vulnerabilities,
adaptation potential and opportunities, valuation of systems and their
services, potential for non-linear interactions, risks and uncertainties,
and other cross-cutting issues. A variety of approaches will be used,
including historical case studies, scenario analysis, thresholds, modeling,
critical zones and populations, tolerable windows, and integrated
assessment

Chapter 10: Africa (25 pp.)

Chapter 11: Asia (45 pp.)

Chapter 12: Australasia (20 pp.)

Chapter 13: Europe (25 pp.)

Chapter 14: Latin America (25 pp.)

Chapter 15: North America (25 pp.)

Chapter 16: Polar Regions (Arctic and Antarctic) (15 pp.)

Chapter 17: Small Island States (25 pp.)


Part IV. Global Issues and Synthesis

This section will focus on cross sectoral and cross regional analyses,
building upon the preceding sections and considering cumulative effects.
Such comparison will allow relative scaling of vulnerability across sectors
and regions with respect to ecosystems, including wildlife, hydrology and
water resources, agriculture and forestry, coastal zones and marine
ecosystems, human settlements, financial services, and human health. This
section will synthesize the scientific, technical, environmental, economic,
and social aspects of impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability.

Chapter 18. Adaptation to Climate Change in the Context of Sustainable
Development and Equity (20 pp.)

This chapter will analyze the opportunities for and barriers to adaptation
identified in the regional chapters of the report. It will highlight
options for a) the UNFCCC; b) multilateral organizations; c) national
governments; and d) other actors (including the private sector) to
facilitate adaptation, particularly for vulnerable populations, countries,
or zones. The chapter will be organized around a series of key questions.

Executive Summary
18.1    Summary of sectoral and regional changes, and adaptation options
18.2    Lessons learned from past experience with adaptation to climate
variability and change, including discussion of importance of time frames
18.3    Factors that account for adaptation success (and failure), and
current trends
19.1 Adaptation to climate change in the development context
19.2 Equity and adaptation to climate change
18.6    Barriers and limits that hinder adaptation, and options for
enhancing successful adaptation

Chapter 19: Synthesis and Integration of Impacts, Adaptation, and
Vulnerability (35 pp.)

In this chapter, emphasis will be placed on Article 2 of the UNFCCC and key
provisions [e.g., Articles 2.3, 3.14, and 10(d)] of the Kyoto Protocol,
drawing on important issues that occur in many regions/sectors, or for
which there will be cross-regional or global interactions. Potential global
impacts of stabilization of atmospheric concentrations of GHGs at a variety
of levels will be assessed, including assessment of uncertainties.
Information from the other sections of the report also will be integrated
to address key policy-relevant questions identified by Parties to the
UNFCCC and other stakeholders. The authors will assess vulnerability within
the framework of sustainable development and equity, acknowledging common
but differentiated responsibilities. The chapter will be divided into the
following sections:

Executive Summary
19.1 Impacts associated with different rates and magnitudes of change: A
review of comprehensive approaches, including intercomparison of results
19.2 Comparative analysis of vulnerability in different regions and across
different sectors/systems
19.3    Analysis of sensitivities and critical thresholds of change
(magnitudes and rates) for sectors and systems, including biospheric
components of the climate system
19.4    What observations are necessary to test estimates of the
relationship between emissions trajectories and impacts?
19.5    The potential for unexpected changes
19.6    Strengths and weaknesses of current approaches, and implicit
research needs
19.7    Analyses focusing on policy-relevant scientific/technical
questions, including decisionmaking in the face of uncertainties; state of
knowledge regarding the extent and distribution of vulnerability; equity
issues; and, with Working Group III, balancing adaptation and mitigation.

TOTAL PAGE LENGTH = ~450 pp. (plus references)


