51st Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-51)
20-23 September 2019 | Principality of Monaco
Summary Highlights: 20-24 September 2019
Highlights for Tuesday, 24 September 2019
The 51st session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-51) concluded Tuesday, 24 September 2019, with the approval of the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). Although the meeting was initially scheduled to end on 23 September, delegates ended up working through the night to reach agreement on the SPM in the second Joint Session of IPCC Working Groups (WGs) I and II. The SPM was forwarded to the Panel for approval. The Panel also accepted the underlying technical report.
The SROCC SPM has three sections:
- Observed changes and impacts;
- Projected changes and risks; and
- Implementing responses to ocean and cryosphere change.
IPCC-51 was also provided with an update on progress for the Scoping Meeting for the Synthesis Report of the Sixth Assessment Report that will meet in Singapore in October. IPCC-51 concluded at 1:39 pm.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis from IPCC-51.
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Highlights for Monday, 23 September 2019
On Monday, the second Joint Session of IPCC Working Groups (WGs) I and II continued consideration of the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of the Special Report on Oceans and Climate Change (SROCC). Delegates met in morning, afternoon, evening and night sessions to discuss the SPM text and figures line-by-line. Informal huddles and convened throughout the day and night to discuss more difficult issues.
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Highlights for Sunday, 22 September 2019
On Sunday, the second Joint Session of IPCC Working Groups (WGs) I and II continued consideration of the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). Delegates met in morning, afternoon, evening and night sessions to discuss specific paragraphs in sections on, among others, observed changes and impacts and projected changes and risks. They also addressed relevant figures in the text. Informal huddles convened throughout the day to discuss issues requiring further discussion.
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Highlights for Saturday, 21 September 2019
On Saturday, the second Joint Session of IPCC Working Groups (WGs) I and II continued consideration of the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). Delegates met in morning, afternoon, evening and night sessions to discuss specific paragraphs in the section on observed changes and impacts, including on observed physical changes. They also addressed relevant figures in the text.
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Highlights for Friday, 20 September 2019
Welcoming participants to IPCC-51 on Friday morning, 20 September, IPCC Secretary Abdalah Mokssit thanked the Government of Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation for their generous financial and scientific support to the IPCC, including to the IPCC Scholarship Programme for young developing country scientists, and encouraged other delegations to follow Monaco’s example.
IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee said that the IPCC Special Reports completed during the 2018-2019 period will galvanize action at the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit on 23 September and at the 25th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 25) in December.
WMO Deputy Secretary-General Elena Manaenkova highlighted the WMO’s ocean- and cryosphere-related work, including establishment of the Global Cryosphere Watch and a new regional climate center in Antarctica.
Florin Vladu, Manager, Adaptation Programme, UNFCCC, noted that the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) will inform and support the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), 60% of which he said already include reference to ocean-related adaptation and mitigation actions.
Anne Larigauderie, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), giving the first statement by IPBES to the IPCC, said that properly managed ecosystems can contribute to climate mitigation, underscoring the need to jointly address climate change and biodiversity.
Andrés Couve Correa, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chile, underscored shared knowledge and coordinated action to address climate change. Referring to COP-25 as “the Blue COP,” which will be held in Santiago, Chile, in December, he highlighted the relevance of the SROCC for COP 25.
His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco highlighted political obstacles to taking action on climate change, including those related to the pursuit of selfish short-term interests. Quoting oceanographer Sylvia Earle, he said that “it is the worst of times but also the best of times, because we still have a chance.”
The second Joint Session of Working Groups I and II then convened to begin consideration of the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of the SROCC.
The Government of Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation hosted a reception at the at Monaco's Oceanographic Museum on Thursday evening, 19 September.
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Reception at the Oceanographic Museum
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