A new Alliance of US-based academic institutions that are Observer organizations at the UN’s climate science body has opened an application portal inviting nominations for the IPCC Seventh Assessment report.

A newly established network of U.S. academic institutions, registered as Observers with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has formed to provide coordinated support for climate scientists in America. 

The U.S. Academic Alliance for the IPCC (USAA-IPCC) has opened a call for U.S. researchers who are interested in being nominated to serve as experts, authors and review editors for the IPCC Seventh Assessment Report (AR7)¹. 

Experts in climate research and practice who are U.S. citizens or based at U.S. institutions, and are interested in being nominated, are encouraged to submit applications to USAA-IPCC via the Alliance portal. 

The USAA-IPCC nomination process is aimed to ensure that US scientists will have opportunities to be nominated to the upcoming assessment cycle.

USAA-IPCC will accept submissions through 4 April 2025. A webinar will be hosted on 27 March 2025, 2 p.m. ET, for prospective experts to learn more about the nomination process through USAA-IPCC.

The founding members of USAA-IPCC are: Colby College, College of the Atlantic, Dickinson College, Indiana University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, Washington University in St. Louis, University of California San Diego, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Yale University. The American Geophysical Union (AGU), the world’s largest association of Earth and space scientists, hosts the alliance. USAA-IPCC aims to increase awareness of authorship calls and facilitate nomination opportunities for experts in climate research and practice working in the United States. 

“It’s critically important to assure a continuing role for US scientists in the IPCC process and the USA-IPCC effort is an effective way to do so," says Michael Oppenheimer, a Professor at Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs, the High Meadows Environmental Institute, and the Department of Geosciences. "I’m happy to see that so many institutions are stepping up to do their share.”

The U.S. has long been a leader in past climate assessments, supplying the largest number of experts of any country in the last assessment cycle. 

Dr. Pamela McElwee, professor of human ecology at Rutgers University and chair of the USAA-IPCC steering committee, stated: “This new alliance will help the U.S. maintain a preeminent position in global science-policy assessments. The benefits to U.S. researchers from involvement in the IPCC are tremendous, and we want to ensure that our scientists continue to play an important leadership role internationally.” 

Since 1990, IPCC reports have assessed the latest developments in climate science, integrating physical science, impacts and adaptation, and mitigation. The effort forms the basis for global climate action and involves hundreds of volunteer scientists from around the world. Previous assessment cycles have produced definitive reports on the state of climate knowledge that have played an important role in influencing policy. The report authors assess thousands of papers in what is essentially the world’s largest peer review,  designed to deliver essential information for decision makers. 

Experts may be nominated by multiple organizations, and eligible individuals are encouraged to submit nomination materials through the U.S. government process as well as the USAA-IPCC. 

Princeton Media Contact: Cara Clase ([email protected])

AGU Media Contact: Josh Weinberg ([email protected])

This press release is provided by the American Geophysical Union located at the AGU Conference Center at 2000 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009.  The original press release can be found here. AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerates knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. The AGU's programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. 

Notes to editors

1. As Observer Organizations, USAA-IPCC members may nominate experts for IPCC work. Experts are sought for roles as coordinating lead authors, lead authors and review editors for working groups I, II, and III of the Seventh Assessment Report and experts for the IPCC Task Group on Data Support for Climate Change Assessments. Nominations are reviewed and final selections made by the IPCC Bureau.