The lengthy meeting on the third major report from the UN climate panel IPCC in a year has begun. The report will focus on solutions and measures to combat climate change. “It is impossible to delay climate action any further,” IPCC chairman Hoesung Lee said at the opening ceremony.

 

United Kingdom Climate and Energy Minister Greg Hands, the host country for the IPCC meeting, pointed out that it “takes place under exceptional circumstances”. He is referring to Russia’s attack on Ukraine. “That while international cooperation is needed to counter the threat of climate change,” says Hands.

“The IPCC is not bringing good news,” said Patricia Espinosa of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The climate panel mapped out the consequences of warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius or more with previous reports. For example, it can cause floods, droughts and extreme rainfall. “The research is essential. Science shows which measures are the right ones to combat climate change.”

A large part of the meeting is about the summary for policymakers. This will probably be very extensive. Representatives of governments worldwide agree and discuss it with the authors. However, scientists always have the last word. The result is expected to be published on April 4.

The three reports together form the sixth assessment report of the IPCC. The last will probably be published at the end of September, bringing together all the previous reports from the different working groups.