Hertie School professor to help shape global understanding of climate policy as part of IPCC Working Group III on climate mitigation.
Professor Christian Flachsland, Director of the Centre for Sustainability at the Hertie School, has been appointed Lead Author for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Seventh Assessment Report (AR7). In this role, he will contribute to Working Group III, which focuses on assessing options for mitigating climate change through emissions reductions and carbon removal strategies.
Established in 1988 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IPCC is the UN body responsible for providing authoritative assessments on the state of climate science. Its reports are neutral and policy-relevant, offering a crucial scientific foundation for international climate negotiations.
As a Lead Author, Flachsland will help synthesise the best available scientific, technical, and socio-economic research related to the political economy of climate policy. Lead Authors are also responsible for drafting designated sections of the report, ensuring their quality, coherence, and alignment with IPCC standards. They work in close coordination with contributing authors, expert reviewers, and government representatives.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this important process,” said Flachsland. “Having conducted research on the role of the IPCC and other global environmental assessments in offering independent scientific advice to policymakers, stakeholders, and the public, my aim is now to help provide a state-of-the-art synthesis of the social science understanding of climate policy in AR7. The Hertie School and the Centre for Sustainability offer a perfect platform for this work, enabling both original research and literature reviews that can inform the upcoming IPCC assessment.”
The IPCC’s Seventh Assessment cycle began in July 2023. Work on drafting AR7 is scheduled to begin in September 2025, when Lead Authors will convene for their first meetings. These meetings will continue through to 2027 as part of the multi-stage drafting and review process. The final report from Working Group III is expected to be submitted in 2028.
The IPCC’s assessments are drafted and reviewed in multiple stages to ensure transparency and scientific rigor. With 195 member countries, the Panel’s work represents a global consensus and remains a cornerstone of climate governance worldwide.
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Christian Flachsland, Professor of Climate Policy | Director, Centre for Sustainability