The head of the United Nation’s climate organisation has  said the world must come together quickly to take vital decisions on the world’s response to the climate crisis.

Jim Skea, Chair, of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was speaking after he was forced to  suspend the 65^th Plenary Session of the IPCC which was held for a week in Addis Ababa.

He said the panel was suspended as many countries which are feeling the biggest impact from the changing climate were unable to remain in Ethiopia.

Skea said: “This means that the work of this Plenary has not finished. While we successfully concluded the bulk of our agenda items, including agreement on a new process to ensure the appropriate application and use of artificial intelligence, we have yet to reach consensus on two important topics: the timelines for the three Working Group contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) and the IPCC budget that will support our work.

“When our work ran past our planned conclusion time, it became clear that many delegates, including those from our most vulnerable countries and those with small delegations, had to leave to return home.”

He continued: “Inclusive participation by these and all other governments in IPCC plenary sessions and its work is essential to ensure that global climate assessments are robust, representative, and responsive to the needs of all countries.

“Full participation in IPCC plenaries enables member governments to contribute their national and regional experiences, scientific knowledge, and policy priorities to critical IPCC processes as well as to the review and approval of IPCC assessment reports. Inclusive engagement reinforces the authority, legitimacy, balance, and policy relevance of the IPCC’s findings and helps ensure that the assessments reflect diverse geographical contexts, development challenges, and adaptation needs.”

The panel members are still split in the pace of decision making in the key areas around the reduction of greenhouse gasses. Some of the nation’s on the panel which include Saudi Arabia, India and China maintain that more time is needed to incorporate science and data from developing nations and have said the new report should be delayed until 2029.

“For me, as a scientist and the Chair of this unique scientific and intergovernmental process, inclusivity must include equitable participation in the Panel´s decision-making, access to scientific information, capacity-building, financial and technical support, and effective participation in all critical deliberations,” Skea said. “Reaching consensus on the schedule for our upcoming IPCC reports is vital.

“They provide authoritative scientific evidence to inform national climate policies, strengthen adaptation and resilience, improve disaster risk reduction, guide climate-smart development, and support access to climate finance. Our reports also help communicate the scale of climate risks and the urgency of mitigation, adaptation, and international cooperation.

“Working with our member governments and the IPCC scientific leadership, and with support from the IPCC Secretariat, I will reconvene this plenary session at the earliest opportunity so the Panel can effectively conclude its business.”