The BIPM has achieved a key milestone in climate science by securing observer status at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Announced just as COP29 unfolds, this new status will allow the BIPM and its global network of metrology experts to contribute to the work of the IPCC – ensuring that every data point driving climate decisions continues to be grounded in rigorous and traceable measurements.

A Strong Alliance with the WMO and Innovations in Climate Measurement

The BIPM’s observer status with the IPCC reinforces a growing network of collaborations focused on precision measurement to meet climate goals. Key alliances include:

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

• BIPM was granted observer status in 2022, enabling us to bring metrological expertise directly into the UN’s climate policy framework.
• We now support the accurate setting, monitoring, and achievement of international climate targets.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

• Since 2022, the BIPM and WMO have identified over 100 priority areas in measurement science to advance climate data reliability.
• These efforts are guided by the CIPM Sectorial Task Group on Climate Change and Environment (CIPM-STG-CENV), focusing on greenhouse gas emissions tracking, carbon removal verification, and atmospheric monitoring – alongside other climate-critical measurements.

For over two decades, the BIPM has collaborated with Earth Observation experts to set rigorous measurement standards across key climate science areas such as atmospheric chemistry, oceanography, hydrology, Earth energy balance, biosphere and cryosphere monitoring, and more.

Now, as an IPCC observer, the BIPM’s expanded role will allow it to bring these standards directly to the heart of global climate policy.