The group was established ad hoc  at AC 22 in 2017. Upon the presentation of the article prepared for the next Issue of the IUCN SSC Bat Specialist Group Newsletter regarding Bats, climate change and challenges for conservation at a European level (authors: Hugo Rebelo, Orly Razgour, Radek K. Lučan & Daniela Hamidovic), a proposal for the establishment of the new IWG on Bats and Climate Change was presented to the AC auditorium. “What is clear from current evidence and model projections is that climate change will be one of the major challenges for the survival of bat populations during this century. Only through the successful implementation of proactive measures will it be possible to address this potential threat”.  The IWG was re-convened as a permanent group at AC24 in Skopje and AC27 in Sarajevo.