43rd Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-43)

On Wednesday, 13 April 2016, the 43rd session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-43) continued in Nairobi, Kenya. The plenary convened intermittently throughout the day to close agenda items as the revised draft documents became available. In the morning, the Panel closed agenda items on: communications for AR6; review of the Conflict of Interest (COI) policy; and the decision pathway for consideration of requests for access to information or meetings.

In the afternoon, the Panel closed agenda items on: the IPCC Programme and Budget; Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) products, including special reports (SRs) and strategic planning; other matters, including an update on the status of the search for a new IPCC Secretary; and the place and date for IPCC-44.

The contact group on SRs convened in the morning and afternoon, as they worked towards consensus on, inter alia, the number of SRs to produce during the sixth assessment cycle and their themes. On SRs, the Panel agreed to undertake three, on: the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above preindustrial levels and related global greenhouse gas (GHG) emission pathways; climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security and GHG fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems; and on climate change and oceans and the cryosphere.

IPCC-43 was gaveled to a close at 6:05 pm.

On Tuesday, 12 April 2016, the 43rd session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-43) continued in Nairobi, Kenya. In the morning, discussions continued on the agenda sub-item on special reports (SRs). Following debate, a contact group was established to discuss which themes to address in SRs, a roadmap for inclusion of those not selected into the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), and options for a possible regional report. The IPCC then considered the future of the Task Group on Data and Scenario Support for Impacts and Climate Analysis (TGICA).

In the afternoon, the IPCC considered reports, including on: communication and outreach activities; the status with respect to the establishment of the Technical Support Units (TSUs); the 27th Task Force Bureau (TFB) Meeting; the 13th Editorial Board Meeting for the Emissions Factor Database (EFDB); the TGICA Expert Meeting; the Task Force on Implementation (TFI) Expert Meeting to Collect EFDB and Software Users Feedback; and the Expert Meeting on Communication.

The IPCC also considered items on: procedural matters, including the review of the IPCC Conflict of Interest Policy, and the size, composition and structure of a future Bureau; matters related to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other international bodies, in particular follow up to the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 21); communications for AR6; the IPCC library facility; the IPCC scholarship programme; and the decision pathway for consideration of requests for access to information or meetings.

The contact group on SRs reported back to the plenary in the afternoon and reconvened in the evening. The IPCC plenary also reconvened in the evening to continue discussion on the decision pathway for consideration of requests for access to information and meetings.

On Monday, 11 April 2016, the 43rd session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-43) opened in Nairobi, Kenya. The IPCC adopted its agenda, approved the draft report of the 42nd session, and commenced work on the agenda items regarding the IPCC programme and budget and admission of observer organizations. On the programme and budget, the Panel called upon the Financial Task Team (FiTT) to further consider the issue and report back to the Panel on Wednesday, 13 April. The IPCC also took up the update of methodologies on national GHG inventories, adopting the relevant report.

In the afternoon, the Panel opened two sub-agenda items under the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) on special reports (SRs) and strategic planning. On strategic planning, the Secretariat will present a draft proposal on Tuesday, 12 April, capturing the views expressed. Discussions on the AR6 SRs will continue.