BANGKOK, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) commenced its 64th plenary session here on Tuesday to advance the panel's scientific assessment cycle and review its key principles and financial sustainability.
In his opening remarks, IPCC Chair Jim Skea urged member governments to initiate a scheduled five-year review of the organization's governing principles and procedures to ensure the body remains fit for purpose.
Skea said these principles and procedures are crucial in maintaining the IPCC's capacity to produce assessments that are comprehensive, neutral, objective, transparent, inclusive, and scientifically robust.
Raweewan Bhuridej, permanent secretary of Thailand's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, underscored the real-world, far-reaching impact of the panel's assessments.
She said that for developing countries like Thailand, the IPCC's scientific knowledge is indispensable for designing effective development strategies, protecting livelihoods, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and keeping global temperatures at safe levels.
Ko Barrett, deputy secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), highlighted the pressing financial pressures facing the IPCC Trust Fund, calling for sustained and increased support from member governments.
During the four-day meeting through Friday, the panel will discuss the work program of its Task Group for Data Support for Climate Change Assessments and consider new observer organizations, among other items.
Nearly 300 attending delegates will receive progress updates on various products of the seventh assessment cycle, which formally began in July 2023 and will culminate in the release of the Synthesis Report to the Seventh Assessment Report in 2029.
Additionally, the panel will produce a special report on climate change and cities, as well as methodology reports on both short-lived climate forcers and carbon dioxide removal technologies.
The IPCC was founded in 1988 by the United Nations Environment Programme and the WMO to assist policymakers by providing regular scientific evaluations on climate change, its implications, and potential future risks, along with recommending mitigation and adaptation strategies. ■
