Climate change impacts human society, the physical environment and the ecosystems we depend on. The publication of the 6th Assessment Report (AR6) of the IPCC in 2021 & 2022 represent the latest landmark summary of our understanding of the physical climate system and how it is changing in response to human activity, as well as the impacts of climate change, mitigation options, and adaptation needs.

Plenary sessions in the inaugural Swedish Climate Symposium 2022 will highlight the main conclusions of the AR6 and its consequences for Sweden. A series of topical parallel sessions will then bring together climate scientists in Sweden to present their contributions to fundamental climate research, providing the necessary foundation for climate assessments such as the AR6.

With these sessions, world-leading expertise will be presented in climate-related modelling, experimental and field work, the role of paleoclimate science, observations, impact studies, mitigation strategies, climate change interactions with biological diversity and ecosystem services, and the economic and governance aspects of climate change. Scheduled poster and mingle sessions will give scientists the opportunity to interact and forge new contacts.

The Symposium will be a unique opportunity for scientists to collectively reflect on and share their contributions to climate science. But perhaps most importantly, we will look into the future as a community, and seek to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for the strengthened collaboration we need, nationally and internationally, to further deepen our understanding of climate change and its impacts, as well as the science-based, sustainable development needed to mitigate it.

Welcome to the Swedish Climate Symposium 16–18 May in Norrköping.