The Climate Change 2001 volumes of the Third Assessment Report of the IPCC provide the most comprehensive assessment of climate change since its second report, Climate Change 1995. This Synthesis Report gives a comprehensive summary of the main points of the three separate volumes of the Report: The Scientific Basis; Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability; and Mitigation. This synthesis will be particularly valuable for students and researchers who require a summary of the main issues in climate change, and will form a standard reference for policy decisions in governments and industry the world over for many years to come.