62nd Session of the IPCC (IPCC-62)

Global News, MRI News

article written by MRI, IPCC

21.03.25 | 02:03

After working 30 hours overtime, IPCC Member Countries agreed on the outlines of the three Working Group reports and on a decision that enables the author nomination process for the Seventh Assessment Report to begin. There was still no agreement on the timeline for the reports’ delivery.

Eighteen months into its current assessment cycle, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) gathered to review draft work related to key elements of its the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7). At its 62nd Session, the IPCC considered the outlines for the Methodology Report on Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies and Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage, the reports that will be produced by each of the IPCC’s three Working Groups, and the Synthesis Report that will summarize key findings from cycle.

The Panel built on the work done by over 230 experts who gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in December 2024 to draft the outlines of each Working Group’s contribution to AR7. Working Group I will produce a report on the Physical Science Basis of climate change, Working Group II will report on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, and Working Group III will report on Mitigation of Climate Change. During IPCC-62, governments reviewed and agreed on the outlines for this work, providing a basis for the next steps in the IPCC’s cycle.

IPCC-62 considered the IPCC Trust Fund Programme and budget for the years 2024-2027 and proposals for expert meetings and workshops for the seventh assessment cycle. Participants heard progress reports from the IPCC Chair and Vice-Chairs, the three Working Groups, the Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, the Task Group on Data Support for Climate Change Assessments, the Gender Action Team, the IPCC Scholarship Programme, and on communication and outreach activities. Other items on the agenda for this session included the report of the IPCC conflict of interest committee and matters related to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other international bodies.

MRI Science Leadership Council member Dr. Joyce Kimutai, representing Kenya at the IPCC-62.
Photo by IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.

The MRI was represented at the IPCC-62 by MRI Science Leadership Council member Dr. Joyce Kimutai, a Climate Scientist affiliated with Kenya Meteorological Services and the Grantham Institute of Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London. Kimutai describes her impressions of the days-long event and the fight to put mountains at the forefront of policy:

“Mountain ecosystems are critical, and it was my goal at the 62nd session of the IPCC to negotiate that mountains get their own dedicated chapter in the final report, so that they can both be assessed more rigorously as well as be elevated to the attention of policy-makers.

Unfortunately, the discussions on mountains came a few days into the event, at a point when numerous issues were already on the table early on and by then various factors were at play. While we couldn’t secure a stand-alone chapter for mountains, a cross-chapter was agreed upon, which we consider an achievement in itself.

Although an earlier introduction of mountains may have led to a more favorable outcome, I believe the fight to protect mountain systems is going in the right direction. A number of colleagues and peers were also pushing for mountains to be given its own chapter, sending a clear message to researchers and governments that a standalone assessment for mountains is necessary.”

Established in 1988, the IPCC is made up of 195 governments that are members of the United Nations or the World Meteorological Organization. The Panel provides governments with scientific information that can be used to create climate policies and provides input into multilateral climate change negotiations. Since its inception, the Panel has prepared a series of comprehensive assessment reports and special reports that provide scientific information on climate change to the international community. Its reports are based on the work of thousands of experts who volunteer as IPCC authors.

IPCC-62 convened in Hangzhou, China, from 24-28 February 2025.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) writers for this meeting were Laura Bullon-Cassis, Ph.D.; María Gutiérrez, Ph.D.; Moritz Petersmann; and Jessica Templeton, Ph.D. The Digital Editor was Anastasia Rodopoulou. The Editor was Pam Chasek, Ph.D.

This news was first published by the Earth Negotiations Bulletin. You can find the original summary on the website.

Citation: Bullon-Cassis, Laura, Maria Gutiérrez, Moritz Petersmann and Jessica Templeton. 2025. Summary of the 62nd Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Earth Negotiations Bulletin/IISD, Vol. 12, No. 866.

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