Mairi Dupar, CDKN's Global Public Affairs Coordinator, introduces CDKN’s new resource pack ‘The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report: What’s in it for developing countries?’ which launches online today.

Today, the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) launches a resource pack to spark discussion about climate trends and action on climate change in developing countries: www.cdkn.org/ar5-toolkit The pack includes easy-to-use guides on the latest science in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Fifth Assessment Report, together with free infographics, images and slide packs for communicators.

This first instalment of ‘The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report: What’s in it for developing countries?’ focuses on Africa and South Asia. Forthcoming materials in late 2014 will cover Latin America and Small Island Developing States.

The pack supports a series of public dialogues on the findings of the Fifth Assessment Report which CDKN is organising in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Pakistan, and Uganda in July - August 2014. It is also intended to help journalists and other communicators, policy-makers, development workers, civil society groups and businesses spread the IPCC’s messages in their professional communities and integrate its findings in their work.

The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report is the most comprehensive assessment ever of past and future climate trends. It details society’s contribution to global warming, and choices for adapting to climate impacts and embracing low-carbon development. The IPCC is releasing its assessment in four parts between September 2013 and November 2014. It is the work of 830 expert authors, from 85 countries; the first three volumes already stretch to 5,000+ pages.

Easy-to-use information

Now CDKN, with authors from the Overseas Development Institute, has released two succinct guides to the Fifth Assessment Report, aimed at audiences in Africa and in South Asia. The guides, The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report: What’s in it for Africa? and ‘….What’s in it for South Asia? distil the richest material on climate impacts and trends in these regions, and experiences in adaptation and mitigation. They aim to make the IPCC’s important material more accessible and usable to African and South Asian readers.

Although CDKN’s publications are not officially endorsed by the IPCC, the expert writing team has worked under the guidance of IPCC Coordinating Lead Authors and Reviewers to ensure fidelity to the original Fifth Assessment material.

Communications kit to spread the word

CDKN’s resource pack includes further materials to help people disseminate the IPCC’s key findings. It offers free infographics that illustrate the main climate trends for Africa and South Asia, along with dozens of high resolution images and slides on the main themes of the Fifth Assessment Report for free download.

Readers can find details of the dates and contact information for the six public dialogues in East Africa and South Asia. There is also a space to post articles, slide shows and other resources developed by readers – to share with others.

Visit www.cdkn.org/ar5-toolkit to download guides and image resources and share feedback.

CDKN is grateful to the UK Department for International Development (DFID)'s Research and Evidence Division whose support made this resource pack possible. CDKN as a whole is funded by DFID and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Image: Tanzania, courtesy CIAT.