IPCC members face deadlock over climate science publication timeline

Members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) remain deadlocked after nearly three years of debate regarding the timeline for publishing the next major review of climate science. The impasse over publication dates could prevent countries from having a scientific consensus on critical issues, such as the reversibility of global warming, before the 2028 UN climate talks.

The dispute highlights significant rifts between wealthy industrialized nations, emerging economies, and poorer nations concerning the responsibility for addressing rising temperatures. Representatives from the IPCC’s 195 member states are scheduled to meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in an attempt to reach an agreement on publication dates that align with the 2028 assessment of the 2015 Paris Agreement goals.

Failure to produce timely reports is a concern for those pushing for robust climate action, as the UN Environment Programme has warned that current global efforts to limit warming are insufficient to prevent extreme weather events.