The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) elected a new Chair on Wednesday. Jim Skea, United Kingdom, will serve as IPCC Chair for the duration of the Panel’s seventh assessment cycle, which is expected to conclude in 2030. Skea is a veteran IPCC expert, having served as Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group III during the sixth assessment cycle, and played a key role in the production and approval of the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C.
Four candidates were vying for the position of IPCC Chair, and the elections went to a run-off between Skea and IPCC Vice-Chair Thelma Krug of Brazil. Ultimately Skea prevailed, securing 90 votes to Krug’s 69.
Elections for other open positions, including IPCC Vice-Chairs, Working Group and Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Co-Chairs, Working Group Vice-Chairs, and the Task Force Bureau, are continuing.
To receive free coverage of global environmental events delivered to your inbox, subscribe to the ENB Update newsletter.
All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For the 59th Session of the IPCC (IPCC-59), please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou
Selected Images
Delegates wait in line to collect their voting badges
Thelma Krug congratulating Jim Skea for his election as IPCC Chair
Debra Roberts congratulating Jim Skea for his election as IPCC Chair
Jean-Pascal van Ypersele congratulating Jim Skea for his election as IPCC Chair
Delegates taking photos of the election results
Outgoing IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee
IPCC Secretary Abdalah Mokssit expressed appreciation for Kenya's gift of Maasai blankets to IPCC-59 delegates.
Children visited the plenary room prior to the start of the day's session
L-R: José Romero, Head, Synthesis Report Technical Support Unit , Outgoing IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee, and Jinmi Kim, Executive Assistant to Hoesung Lee
The Sixth Assessment Report Working Group II Bureau and Technical Support Unit members
Adele Ngwayet, Ajemalebu Self Help
Moleni Tuuholoaki, Tonga
Delegates from Nigeria
Hafsa Abdilahi, Somalia, and David Hiba Hiriasia, Solomon Islands
Delegates from Kenya
Delegates from Ukraine
