UC Berkeley scientist Patrick Gonzalez has been chosen by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as a lead author for its next global scientific assessment of climate change. Gonzalez, who is an associate adjunct professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley, will contribute to the North America chapter focused on climate change impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability as part of IPCC Working Group II. The upcoming assessment is scheduled for completion in 2028 or 2029.
The IPCC’s scientific assessments are widely regarded as foundational for global policy and action addressing human-caused climate change. The panel received a share of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for its work.
Gonzalez has previously served as a lead author on four IPCC reports, including the terrestrial ecosystems chapter in the 2022 assessment. Reflecting on his selection, Gonzalez stated: “It’s an honor to advance climate change science and solutions as part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This work provides a strong foundation for innovative policies and meaningful efforts to halt climate change.”
Gonzalez earned his Ph.D. from Berkeley’s Energy and Resources Group. His research spans fieldwork in Africa, Latin America, and the United States on topics such as climate change, tree mortality, wildfire, and carbon solutions. He has collaborated with colleagues publishing in Science and other journals, worked with local communities and field managers across 26 countries and within 269 units of the U.S. National Park System. Gonzalez also served as principal climate change scientist at the U.S. National Park Service and assistant director for climate and biodiversity at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
In addition to his research roles, Gonzalez has contributed to public understanding of climate science through media engagement and advocacy for scientific integrity.
Alongside Gonzalez from UC Berkeley’s main campus, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists Charles Koven—also a UC Berkeley alumnus—and Nan Zhou have been selected by IPCC as lead authors for companion volumes.
