Countries Face Challenges Over UN Climate Assessment Negotiations

Delegates from about 200 countries are meeting in Hangzhou, China, to negotiate the IPCC’s next climate assessment, vital for the 2028 UN stocktake. The urgency arises from growing climate threats and noteworthy absences, such as the U.S. delegation. There is contention over the timeline, with developed and vulnerable nations pressing for speed against resistance from major polluters like India and China.

Representatives from nearly 200 nations convened in Hangzhou, China, to deliberate on the United Nations’ forthcoming assessment of climate science. This gathering occurs following a record-setting year of heat and intensifying concerns about global warming. Notably, the absence of a U.S. delegation, due to President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, looms large over the discussions.

The meeting’s objectives include refining the timeline and content for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which is crucial for guiding policymakers. A central issue is whether the comprehensive evaluation—encompassing physical science, climate impacts, and mitigation strategies—can be completed expediently enough to impact the significant 2028 UN climate progress review.

While rich nations and vulnerable developing countries advocate for an accelerated release of scientific findings, nations such as India and China, along with oil-producing countries, oppose the expedited schedule. The High Ambition Coalition emphasized that aligning the 2028 UN assessment with the latest scientific knowledge is vital, warning that severing this connection could undermine the integrity of global climate agreements.

Past reports have highlighted the insufficient progress in addressing climate change. In response, a recent climate summit in Dubai called for a shift away from fossil fuels, albeit with compromises favoring fossil fuel interests. The IPCC’s proposed timeline suggests that final conclusions from their investigation could be released in 2028, yet nations including China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and India have voiced concerns regarding the haste of this initiative.

Observers indicate that the negotiations may be pivotal for achieving consensus on timely report completion for the stocktake. Geopolitical tensions and the economic implications of transitioning from fossil fuels contribute to the intensity of these discussions. Moreover, advancements in climate-related research are critical for informing new policy frameworks.

The IPCC has warned of an imminent risk of surpassing the Paris Agreement’s target of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming within the next decade. The 39-nation Association of Small Island States has reiterated the importance of ensuring timely completion of the IPCC reports to support climate action, with their Chair, Ilana Seid, stating, “Climate science must remain accessible and actionable for all. Our survival depends on it.”

In summary, ongoing negotiations among representatives from nearly 200 countries focus on the timeline and content of the upcoming UN climate assessment. The divergence between wealthy and oil-producing nations reflects a complex geopolitical landscape. The urgency to complete the report by the critical 2028 stocktake remains paramount, especially in light of impending climate threats, emphasizing the need for actionable scientific evidence.

Original Source: www.france24.com