The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded a week-long meeting in Addis Ababa on Friday without establishing a firm timeline for its seventh comprehensive assessment report, known as AR7. The report had been scheduled for publication in 2028, seven years after the previous assessment in 2021, but a coalition of governments led by Saudi Arabia, Russia, and India—joined by China and Kenya—has advocated for postponement to 2029 or beyond.
These nations contend that climate science is disproportionately influenced by developed countries, resulting in skewed findings that do not adequately represent developing world perspectives. However, scientists and policy experts express concern that delaying the report would prevent it from informing the next round of nationally determined contributions to emissions reductions scheduled for discussion at the Cop33 climate summit in late 2028. This timing is significant under the Paris Agreement framework, as 2028 marks the second global stocktake, when governments’ climate pledges are evaluated against the goal of limiting temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.
Critics note that the scientific content for AR7 is largely already completed and under review, making it impractical to substantially incorporate additional research at this stage. The IPCC maintains that it implements rigorous measures to include scientists from around the world and actively works to prevent developed country bias. Observers also point out that several countries advocating for delays, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, and India, possess substantial scientific capacity and resources that could enable them to produce independent research or fund developing country contributions.
One proposed compromise involves the IPCC beginning work immediately on enhanced mechanisms to incorporate developing world science while maintaining the 2028 deadline for the report’s first section on physical science, with subsequent sections on climate impacts and mitigation solutions potentially delayed. Civil society organizations remain divided on the issue, with some opposing delays as threats to emissions reduction progress and others emphasizing the importance of equitable representation in scientific processes. A group of 117 scientists, including many from developing nations, has publicly committed to continuing their work regardless of timeline disputes.
The disagreement is expected to feature prominently at the Cop31 climate summit in Turkey next month, as governments address their climate action commitments amid predictions of significant global climate impacts.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI