Nobel Peace Prize 2007 To Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change - Ith ETH Zurich Participation

Main Category: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Article Date: 13 Oct 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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The Nobel Prize Committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and to the former US Vice- President, Al Gore. ETH Zurich researchers played a key role in the preparation of the IPCC reports.

One half of this year's Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change". In particular, the 4th United Nations Climate Report on global climate change that appeared in three parts in January, February and May 2007 revealed new facts and has been a large contributor to raising the awareness of climate change.

ETH Zurich President, Ralph Eichler said "The Nobel Peace Prize is a distinguished award and underscores the significance of climate research. I am particularly pleased for the researchers from ETH Zurich and other Swiss universities who played such a part in this success."

'Ecosystems' chapter lead

Andreas Fischlin of ETH Zurich's Institute for Integrative Biology, was the "Coordinating Lead Author" of the second book of the 4th United Nations Climate Report. He bore principal responsibility for the fourth chapter that concerns ecosystems. The chapter brings to the fore rising global temperatures of 1.5 to 2.5 degrees Celsius and the extinction of 20 to 30 percent of all species - conclusions supported by the results of over 3100 scientific studies from various disciplines. "This Nobel Prize is a big surprise and a great source of happiness. The problems facing the climate can only be explored on a global basis, and the IPCC offers a unique opportunity to do so." Responding to the question of why the IPCC, an organistion for climate change, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Fischlin said, "The destructive climate change makes the world insecure. That's why research into climate problems can also add to world peace."

ETH Zurich contribution

In addition to "Coordinating Lead Author", the party responsible for integrating all of the scientific knowledge, the report also lists "Lead Authors", "Contributing Authors", and "Review Editors". Two ETH Zurich researchers, cited as "Lead Authors" worked alongside Dr. Fischlin, as did a further seven ETH Zurich researchers who are credited as "Contributing Editors" to the first two books of the new United Nations Climate Report. ETH Zurich researchers have, in total, delivered 16 contributions to nine different chapters in the climate report.

The IPCC and its report

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was founded in 1988. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Rajendra Kumar Pachauri has been the IPCC- elected chief since 1992. The IPCC, to which hundreds of scientists around the world contribute preliminary data, has as its aim to evaluate the scientific, technical and socioeconomic information needed to understand the risks to climate change induced by humans. The IPCC does not carry out its own research, nor monitor climate-related data. Its assessments rely on published and peer reviewed scientific technical literature. The 2007 report is based on hundreds of simulations, computer models, numerous studies and gathered data. 450 primary authors have written what is to date the most exact description of what has occurred to the temperature in the atmosphere since 1800. This fourth United Nations Climate Change report had a total of 2500 experts collaborating over the course of six years.

ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) has a student body of over thirteen thousand students from 80 nations. Nearly 360 professors teach mainly in engineering sciences and architecture, system-oriented sciences, mathematics and natural sciences, as well as carry out research that is highly valued worldwide. ETH Zurich is committed to providing its students with unparalleled education and outstanding leadership skills.

http://www.cc.ethz.ch

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