Written by: Fatima Younis
Scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have affirmed their commitment to continuing work to complete the next set of major reports, against the backdrop of the suspension of the panel's last session due to political disagreements between governments over the timeline for their issuance.
Scientific commitment amidst political disputes
Government officials and scientists expressed disappointment at the failure to reach a consensus during the week-long meeting in Ethiopia, which ended with the suspension of the plenary session chaired by Jim Skea without agreement on deadlines for the seventh assessment reports, known as AR7, as well as the panel's budget.
The ongoing dispute centers on whether the three main parts of the seventh assessment reports should be published before the conclusion of the upcoming UN Global Stocktake on climate action, scheduled to be completed in late 2028.
Open letter and continuous support for scientific direction
In an open letter, about 120 scientists out of hundreds of contributing authors to the reports confirmed their determination to continue preparing assessment reports that are accurate, comprehensive, and timely, emphasizing that any assessment issued after the decisions it aims to guide loses its primary purpose.
The scientists pointed out that the second Global Stocktake in 2028 represents a crucial decision milestone, stating that the world should not face it without the latest scientific assessment issued by the panel. In contrast, some developing countries and Russia demanded delaying the release of the reports to allow room for more research inputs from developing countries and to make the findings more equitable.
Continuation of preparatory work for working groups
Despite the political stumbling block, the chairs of the panel's working groups confirmed that scientific work is proceeding at a steady pace, as the working groups continue to review draft reports and finalize them. Panel Chair Jim Skea pointed out that reaching a consensus on the report schedule remains vital to providing reliable scientific evidence that supports national climate policies and enhances resilience to climate change adaptation.
