Andy was born in Germany and studied atmospheric science before moving to New Zealand in 1993. He completed a PhD in atmospheric science at Canterbury University in 1998. He has worked as research scientist on issues such as urban air pollution, ozone depletion, and climate change before joining the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment as senior adviser. At the Ministry he focused on climate change science, impacts and adaptation measures. He was the focal point for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and secretary for the National Science Strategy Committee for Climate Change. Currently, Andy works for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), where he is responsible for the management of the Synthesis Report, the final report of the Fourth Assessment Report that outlines our current knowledge about climate change science, impacts, adaptation and mitigation options.