Climate change research and policy updates
The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), part of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), has published a report entitled "Kyoto and Beyond - Climate Research and Climate Policy Briefing". This report is one of the Technical Report Series on Climate Change Research and Policy Updates. The report examines the scientific progress which has been made over the past years on the climate change issue. It examines shifts in emphasis on climate change debates and the implications of scientific uncertainty for the policy maker. Information on climate impacts on various sectors, such as agriculture, coastal zones is also provided, as well as a case study on the UK. Regional impacts of climate change and associated economic implications are considered. The report also documents some different considerations for a climate change policy in the context of the latest meeting of contracting parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Kyoto in December 1997. The report is divided in six sections: - Introduction; - Scientific progress; - Climate change policy - the dilemma with implementation; - Summary and conclusions; - Summary of Kyoto's results.