The meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been postponed and ended without reaching an agreement on the timeline for the next review's release. This suspension, announced by the IPCC on Friday, could present countries with challenges in decision-making regarding the next steps in climate action.
Challenges in Review Timing
This deadlock, which has lasted nearly three years, could lead to countries making decisions about the next phase of climate actions without agreement on critical issues, including the reversibility of some changes caused by global warming. The meeting, held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, faced a deadline on its final day, forcing many representatives from low-income countries and small island nations to leave the meeting.
Read more: Oman: Launch of the First Phase of the Coral Development Project in Sohar
The release dates for the next scientific review were the main agenda of the IPCC meeting, which consists of 195 member countries. Governments are expected to assess progress towards the goals set in the 2015 Paris Agreement at UN climate meetings in November 2028.
Concerns About Report Readiness
The IPCC has stated that discussions regarding the review timeline and IPCC budget remain "open" and that reviews will resume at the earliest possible opportunity. The lack of timely preparation of IPCC reports for the 2028 climate meetings has raised concerns among a coalition of 30 countries, including European, Latin American, and small island nations, who are calling for immediate action.
Countries such as India, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China, on the other hand, are calling for more time to prepare IPCC reports to ensure that scientists from resource-poor countries can make meaningful contributions.
Tina Stege, a climate representative from the Marshall Islands, stated: "We were here to work, but every proposal regarding inclusivity, the connection of science to national planning, and the need for evidence to inform the next global assessment was rejected. Progress was blocked until the end — this is a shameful game of stalling while there is no time to waste."
IPCC reviews are highly credible as they are written by hundreds of international experts and approved by each member country, and governments use them to plan responses to climate change. These reports are also cited in international court rulings.
The United Nations Environment Programme has repeatedly stated that global efforts to limit warming are insufficient, and deeper emissions reductions are necessary to prevent climate-related disasters.
Read more: Prison Sentence and Fine for Those Charged with Harming Turtles in Oman · Algeria Passed a Law for the Death Penalty for Forest Arsonists
