ABSTRACT
This chapter will examine the role of expertise in the case of climate change. Climate change is a paradigm case which has informed much social science theorizing about expertise. However, the body tasked to provide scientific advice, i.e. the IPCC, is rather unique among institutions that provide expertise. In this chapter, I will explore in some detail the genesis and function of the IPCC. The argument presented holds that it combines different roles, but policy advice is not among them. A discussion of several critical accounts of the IPCC highlights the problems this organization faces. I will also examine the use of narratives and strategies of boundary work.
