Experts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will meet virtually from April 19 to 23, 2021 to continue their work on the Working Group III contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report, which assesses the mitigation of climate change.
The meeting, hosted by the Government of Italy, will draw together 280 experts from around 70 countries as they start to prepare the final draft of the report and second draft of the Summary for Policymakers.
“Despite the ongoing pandemic, we have made a lot of progress since our third Lead Author Meeting, the IPCC’s first virtual Lead Author Meeting, in 2020,” said Working Group III Co-Chair Jim Skea.
“Our authors went the extra mile to deliver the Second-Order Draft, which received over 30,000 comments from more than 850 government and expert reviewers. This upcoming meeting will give them the opportunity to take stock of this vital feedback and persist in their preparation of a relevant and thorough final draft,” he said.
IPCC Working Group III is responsible for assessing the mitigation of climate change – responses and solutions to the threat of dangerous climate change by reducing emissions and enhancing sinks of the greenhouse gases that are responsible for global warming.
“We would like to thank the many reviewers of the Second-Order Draft, who reflect both the significance of this report and the interest in it from many sectors and aspects of society,” said Working Group III Co-Chair, Priyadarshi Shukla.
“We would also like to thank the Government of Italy for its support during this virtual meeting and engagement with the associated outreach activities, which hold importance not only for Working Group III, but also a broader global audience,” he said.
The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) will assess mitigation options in sectors such as energy, agriculture, forestry and land use, buildings, transport and industry, and consider these in the context of sustainable development. For the first time, it will examine the link between greenhouse gas emissions and themes such as consumption and behaviour, and the role of innovation and technology.
The report will also assess the connection between short to medium-term actions and long-term emission pathways that will limit global warming.
According to the IPCC, the final draft of the report will be circulated to governments later in 2021 for their comments on the Summary for Policymakers.
The IPCC Panel is currently due to consider the Working Group III contribution to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report at a plenary session in early 2022, although dates remain subject to revision because of the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
