7 March 2025, Hangzhou China - Delegates from Palau, Kiribati, Samoa and Vanuatu are back home having actively amplified the Pacific’s call for 1.5 to stay alive at the 62nd Plenary Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC62) convened in Hangzhou, China, from 24-28 February 2025.
IPCC62 was to agree on the outlines of the three Working Group contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) and the Methodology Report on Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage.
Ms Shindra Sharma, Vanuatu’s IPCC delegate, was amongst a strong representation from the IPCC member countries who attended the one-week meeting.
“The IPCC's science is integral to the Pacific’s climate response, providing the evidence base that shapes our policies, strategies, and advocacy,” she said. “It steers us through an uncertain future. Without this foundation, our ability to plan for and respond to climate impacts would be severely limited.”
Palau delegate and IPCC Author for SIDS Chapter, Mr Yimnang Golbuu, highlighted why Pacific countries should attend, and be vocal at gatherings such as IPCC62.
“Attending IPCC meetings are important so that we are familiar with the issues and can advocate for issues that are important to us in the Pacific Islanders,” he said.
“But it is not enough to just attend the meeting, we have to be better prepared, to understand the process and to know the issues so when we attend, we can meaningfully contribute to the discussion and the processes.
“That is why efforts by the PCCC and SPREP to support Pacific Islanders in engaging with the IPCC are critical for Pacific Islanders, not only to attend the IPCC conferences, but to have meaningful engagement in the different aspects of IPCC.”
The 6th Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC) Meeting in 2023 endorsed the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) to lead the Pacific Coordination and Engagements on IPCC. In Hangzhou, China, PCCC’s Technical Adviser for Science to Services, Ms Yvette Kerslake, provided support for the Pacific delegates.
Kiribati IPCC delegate, Mr Mika Pita expressed his gratitude for the support provided by SPREP, through the PCCC. As this was his first time attending an IPCC Bureau meeting, he is returning home with a new found appreciation about the importance of amplifying the Pacific’s voice and priorities in the work to ensure the best available science to keep 1.5 alive.
The message is echoed by the Manager of the PCCC, Ms. Ofa Kaisamy, who emphasised the importance of strengthening the participation of Pacific Island Countries in the IPCC. She reiterated the importance of IPCC reports as key sources of climate information for international and domestic climate policy and the need to develop the Pacific’s capacity to engage in the ongoing process.
At COP29 in Baku, the issue was highlighted during a side event on enhancing the engagement of the Pacific on the IPCC process. Ms Kaisamy said SPREP through the PCCC has now received its first seed funding from the Government of Australia, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the environment and water to strengthen the engagement of Pacific Island Countries in the IPCC.
The funding, amongst other IPCC-related priorities, will be on the agenda when the PCCC hosts a regional dialogue to discuss Strengthening Pacific Engagement in the IPCC - Regional Dialogue & Writeshop- 7 -11 April 2025 at the Novotel Hotel in Nadi, Fiji.
The Chair of the IPCC, Professor Jim Skea, acknowledged the strong support that IPCC member countries have demonstrated in sustaining every aspect of the work of IPCC work. He emphasised that Government support ensures the scientific integrity and continuity of the IPCC, as the most authoritative and policy-relevant voice on climate science, globally.
For more information, please contact pccc@sprep.org.
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The Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) is the regional Centre of excellence for climate change information, research, capacity building, and innovation, hosted at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in Apia, Samoa. As a Centre of excellence, the PCCC is mandated to provide practical information, support, and training to address the adaptation and mitigation priorities of Pacific Island communities.
The PCCC is underpinned by strong partnerships with Pacific Governments, applied research institutions, donors, civil society, and the private sector. The PCCC is a partnership between the Governments of Japan and Samoa. It is funded under grant aid through JICA for Samoa as the host country of SPREP. Additionally, the Centre receives generous funding and support from the Governments of New Zealand and Australia.
Main photo: Photo by IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou