IPCC Sixth Assessment Report Scoping Meeting Kicks off in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, 1 May 2017 (ECA) – Over 200 experts from about 60 countries are meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to draft the outline of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).

At the opening of the five-day scoping meeting, which took off Monday at ECA’s Conference Centre, IPCC’s Secretary, Abdalah Mokssi, said the Panel has a mandate to “provide policy makers with regular assessments on the scientific basis of cliamte change, its impact and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation."

Ms. Fatima Denton, Director of ECA’s Special Initiative Division, who welcomed participants on behalf of the Commission’s Acting Executive Secretary – Abdalla Hamdok – called on the Panel to ensure that Africa contributes significantly to AR6. “It is important that the IPCC builds on the regional and broad experience of Africa to ensure that the next assessment report properly articulates Africa’s development priorities and better reflect Africa’s unique position and contribution to the exercise.”

The role of Africa and Africans in the assessment reports was reiterated by Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity. “In the past, participation of Africans as contributing lead authors and review editors has been weak, “said Mr. Bekele. “This needs to change in order for IPCC’s work to have wider representation. Scientists in African countries need to take responsibility to ensure that we engage proactively with IPCC bureau in making our experts available as lead authors and review authors.”

Ms. Denton said ECA is well positioned to support the integration of African scientific and policy perspectives into the work of IPCC, adding, “I hope the convening of this meeting in Addis Ababa will be a significant step towards achieving this objective.” IPCC is the leading body for the assessment of climate change, established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme. It is made up of 195 member states and its main activity is to prepare comprehensive assessment reports about climate change at regular intervals, typically of about five to seven years.

The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) is expected to be out in 2022.

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