The meeting of the members of the world's leading authority on climate change ended on Oct 16 without an agreement on a timeline to publish its next review of the latest science on the warming planet, four sources familiar with the matter said.
The meeting of representatives to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change from its 195 member states in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, this week was seen by many as the last chance to agree publication dates before UN climate talks in November 2028, when governments are due to assess progress toward goals set in the 2015 Paris agreement.
The impasse, which has lasted nearly three years, could leave countries to decide the next phase of action without consensus on critical issues, including the extent to which some global warming might be reversible.
The IPCC did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
The dispute reflects deep rifts among wealthy industrialised nations, major emerging economies and poorer nations over how to respond to warming temperatures and how much of that burden should be shouldered by different countries.
The possibility that the IPCC’s reports might not be ready in time for the 2028 climate talks has alarmed a coalition of 30 countries, including European, Latin American and small-island states pushing for immediate action.
However, countries including India, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Russia and China are pressing for more time to prepare the IPCC’s next reports to ensure scientists from less-resourced countries can make meaningful contributions.
The IPCC’s reviews of the world’s existing knowledge on climate change carry weight with governments because they are written by hundreds of international experts and approved by every member state.
Its reports are also used by governments to plan their responses to climate change and have been cited in international court rulings.
The UN Environment Programme has said repeatedly that global efforts to limit warming are falling short and that deeper emissions cuts are needed to avoid more extreme weather and climate-related disasters. REUTERS