The IPCC is reviewing two passages in its report - one to do with the melting times of Himalayan glaciers, the other with the link between the rising costs of wild weather damage and climate change.

In this charged atmosphere, the Federal Government has been emailing invitations to Australian scientists to volunteer as ''expert reviewers'' for the IPCC's next report in four years.

While there is not expected to be a shortage of volunteers for the work, some Australian climate scientists are concerned that to work on IPCC projects in the present environment could expose scientists to attacks from climate sceptics.

''I've cautioned some of my colleagues to think very carefully about whether they want to be exposed to the kind of campaign against science that is running at the moment,'' said Andy Pitman, one of the authors of the 2007 report.

''That's not to mean they shouldn't necessarily do it but they do need to think carefully about whether they have the capacity to endure the attacks from the vested interests who want to discredit the scientific work they're doing.''