From RFI · · 1m 40s
EU defends climate science as Cop31 splits over reports
The European Union pledges to protect the IPCC at the Turkey summit as countries clash over when to publish crucial climate assessments.
In brief
The European Union pledges to protect the IPCC at the Turkey summit as countries clash over when to publish crucial climate assessments. The EU is fighting to publish the IPCC's next major climate report by 2028 for a global review, but Saudi Arabia, China and India want to delay it until 2029. Originally reported by…
EU fights for climate science at Cop31
The European Union has pledged to defend scientific research at the Cop31 climate summit in Turkey, accusing some countries of attempting to undermine the IPCC.
“There are some parties that are trying to undermine what science is telling us because they don't want to do what it takes to address climate change.”
The dispute: when to publish reports
The disagreement centres on the timetable for the next major assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Brussels wants reports published by 2028, while Saudi Arabia, China and India push to delay until 2029.
Why the EU wants 2028 publication
The EU wants the latest IPCC findings available ahead of the 2028 global stocktake, a key assessment under the Paris Agreement that measures collective progress towards international climate goals.
“It is always best for policy decisions to be based on the most up-to-date science.”
Developing nations support earlier timeline
The Alliance of Small Island States and the Least Developed Countries group, representing more than seventy nations particularly vulnerable to climate change, have backed publication in 2028.
IPCC impasse delays decision to December
The IPCC's October meeting failed to produce an agreement on the publication timetable, forcing discussions to be suspended until one December. IPCC chairman Jim Skea warned the impasse was threatening the organisation's reputation.
Consensus needed but opponents have leverage
Decisions at UN climate summits require consensus among nearly two hundred participating countries, giving opponents considerable influence over the outcome. Achieving a breakthrough in Antalya will be difficult.
The bottom line
The EU is fighting to publish the IPCC's next major climate report by 2028 for a global review, but Saudi Arabia, China and India want to delay it until 2029.
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