[Coral-List] Climate Change perceptions

[Ove Hoegh-Guldberg]

Dear Gene,

The IPCC has one of the most rigorous review process I have ever
experienced.  

There are various stages of review.  The first round involves the
working groups picking over the text (hundreds of eyes and opinions). If
you have been involved in this process, it is a quite an experience
taking months and years- involving a lot of haggling over detail - but
always using the peer-reviewed literature as the base. 

When this is complete, then the documents are sent to signatory
governments for review.  Leading scientists from each of the countries
pick over the details.  And after this, the documents are placed for
open comment (on the web). At this point, any government, industry,
science group, special interest group, or individual is invited for
comment, recommend amendments etc.  At each of these points, the lead
and contributing authors are required to respond to each comment or
suggestion in a precise fashion, however correct or off-the-wall they
may be. The responses from the specialists are independently reviewed to
ensure that the documents have been amended or the
comment/suggestion/objection refuted scientifically (ie with
peer-reviewed literature). Just as insight - I had to respond to 87
comments on a relatively small contribution to the Australian and NZ
chapters within working group 2 of the AR4 IPCC report in 2007.  

At the end of the day, I don't think you could have a more rigorous
process.  The only problem is that this somewhat rigorous process ends
up conservative (e.g. failure to predict the dramatic decline of Arctic
sea ice).  

That may be its only flaw. 

Regards,

Ove

Ove Hoegh-Guldberg:  Director, Global Change Institute (and Centre for
Marine Studies);  Smart State Premier's Fellow (2008-2013); Reviewing
Editor for Science magazine;  Deputy Director, ARC Centre for Excellence
in Coral Reef Studies;  Chair, Bleaching Working Group,  CRTR project.
Blog: www.climateshifts.org; Lab website: www.coralreefecosystems.org.


-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Eugene
Shinn
Sent: Tuesday, 3 November 2009 3:37 AM
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: [Coral-List] Climate Change perceptions

Does anyone know if the IPCC reports were peer reviewed? and if so by 
whom? Gene
-- 


No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
------------------------------------ -----------------------------------
E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
University of South Florida
Marine Science Center (room 204)
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
<eshinn at marine.usf.edu>
Tel 727 553-1158---------------------------------- 
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