Scientists are facing pressure from some petro-states and major developing countries to postpone the publication of a significant global climate report. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a UN-convened body of climate scientists, is currently meeting in Addis Ababa to discuss its seventh assessment report, known as AR7.
The AR7 report was initially scheduled for release in 2028, ahead of the UN climate summit, Cop33, later that year. Cop33 is intended to assess government actions on greenhouse gas emissions against the Paris Agreement's 1.5C target.
A group of countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, and China, is pushing for the report's publication to be delayed until 2029. They argue this delay is necessary to allow developing countries more input into the scientific findings. However, many poor and vulnerable countries, including 34 members of the High Ambition Coalition, oppose any delay, with some calling for the report to be expedited.
Ministers from the Marshall Islands and Sierra Leone have voiced concerns, stating that political interests should not dictate climate science and that the Paris Agreement relies on the best available science to guide negotiations.