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SBSTA-IPCC special event: Unpacking the new scientific knowledge and key findings in the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C
04 Dec. 2018
15:00h - 18:00h
Katowice, Poland
Poland
Plenary Mazowsze, International Conference Centre (MCK)
English
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SBSTA-IPCC special event: Unpacking the new scientific knowledge and key findings in the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C
04 Dec. 2018
15:00h - 18:00h
Katowice, Poland
Poland
Plenary Mazowsze, International Conference Centre (MCK)
English

Background

The Conference of the Parties (COP), at its twenty-first session in Paris in 2015, invited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to provide a special report in 2018 on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways (decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 21).

The IPCC, in response to the invitation by the COP, produced a Special Report entitled: “Global Warming of 1.5°C, an IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty.” The Summary for Policymakers (SPM) was approved by the IPCC plenary on 6 October 2018 at the closing of its forty-eighth session, held in Incheon, the Republic of Korea.

An informal information note has been produced by the SBSTA and IPCC  Chairs to outline the agenda and  to provide further background information on the Special Event.

Details

The event will be open to Parties and observers, and will be webcast.

It will focus on unpacking the new scientific concepts and definitions used in the report and hence generate a better understanding of the key scientific findings of the report. It may also allow for identifying research gaps and clarifying the uncertainties associated with specific findings.

To achieve those goals, the special event will be organized as a fact-finding exchange of views between IPCC experts and Parties. The experts will present findings from the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, focusing on new scientific findings and their context. After presentations have been made, a moderated discussion will then allow an exchange with the room and questions from all participants. To ensure that this can be an interactive learning exercise, we invite Parties and observers to keep their interventions succinct and to ask the experts questions that pertain to the findings of this report.

After the event, a summary report will be prepared under the authority of the SBSTA and IPCC Chairs, which will be made available on the UNFCCC web site  in early 2019. 

Draft agenda

Opening and welcome
15:00 – 15:15

Welcome remarks and opening of the event by the SBSTA and the IPCC Chairs. 
Keynote remarks by the Executive Secretary.

Paul Watkinson (SBSTA Chair),
Hoesung Lee (IPCC Chair),
Patricia Espinosa (UNFCCC Executive Secretary) 

Unpacking the new scientific knowledge and key findings
15:15 – 15:55

Understanding global warming of 1.5°C
 -    Presentation (10–15 minutes)
 -    Open discussion (25 minutes)

Presentation by Valérie Masson-Delmotte and Panmao Zhai (WGI Co-Chairs) Presentation
15:55 – 16:35

Projected climate change, potential impacts and associated risks 
 -    Presentation (10–15 minutes)
 -    Open discussion (25 minutes)

Presentation by Hans-Otto Pörtner (WGII Co-Chair)

Presentation
16:35 – 17:15

Emission pathways and system transitions consistent with 1.5°C global warming  
 -    Presentation (10–15 minutes)
 -    Open discussion (25 minutes)

Presentation by Jim Skea (WGIII Co-Chair) Presentation
17:15 – 17:55

Strengthening the global response in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty 
 -    Presentation (10–15 minutes)
 -    Open discussion (25 minutes)

Presentation by Debra Roberts (WGII Co-chair) Presentation
Closing
17:55 – 18:05

Closing remarks by the SBSTA Chair and the IPCC Chair

Paul Watkinson and Hoesung Lee

 

 

Background of the Special Report

Global Warming of 1.5 °C (2018) - An IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty.

The COP, at its 24th session, invited Parties to make use of the information contained in the special report in their discussions under relevant agenda items of the subsidiary and governing bodies. At the same session, the COP requested the SBSTA to consider the report with a view to strengthening the scientific knowledge on the 1.5 °C goal, including in the context of the preparation of sixth assessment report of the IPCC  and the implementation of the Convention (kindly see decision 1/CP.24, paragraphs 27 and 28).

Pursuant to this SBSTA mandate, the SBSTA, at its 50th session, considered the report and concluded its work on this agenda item.

 

Expected input to the UNFCCC process

The Conference of the Parties, by its decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 21, invited the IPCC to provide in 2018 a special report on impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways. In the same decision, paragraph 17 also specifically refers to the special report. The COP noted that much greater emission reduction efforts will be required than those associated with the intended nationally determined contributions in order to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2 ˚C above pre-industrial levels by reducing emissions to 40 gigatonnes or to 1.5 ˚C above pre-industrial levels by reducing to a level to be identified in the special report.

The special report will feed in to the UNFCCC process in different ways including, inter alia, through:

  • On-going cooperation between the UNFCCC process and the IPCC.
  • The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA): the SBSTA plays an important role as the link between the scientific information provided by expert sources such as the IPCC and the policy-oriented needs of the COP. The SBSTA hosts SBSTA-IPCC Special Events, as needed, to share information and create dialogue around IPCC products and work.
  • Nationally-Determined Contributions (NDCs): the report will inform the next round of NDCs on the collective mitigation action needed for maintaining a reasonable chance to limit global warming at 1.5°C, including by providing the estimated aggregate greenhouse gas emission levels in 2025 and 2030 for such mitigation pathways.
  • The Talanoa Dialogue (2018): In accordance with the approach to the dialogue, this report will serve as an input. A dedicated space will be provided, both during the preparatory and the political phase, to facilitate the understanding of the implications of the report.
  • The Global Stocktake (GST): In accordance with Article 14.1 of the Paris Agreement, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) shall periodically take stock of the implementation of the Agreement to assess the collective progress towards achieving its purpose and long-term goals. It is mandated to do so in the light of, inter alia, the best available science. COP 21 agreed that each GST will be informed by “the latest reports of the IPCC” (decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 99b). COP 21 requested the SBSTA to provide advice on how the assessments of the IPCC can inform the GST. The SBSTA acknowledged that the products of the IPCC assessment cycles will be key inputs to the GST and will provide the best available scientific knowledge that is policy-relevant but not policy-prescriptive, providing an integrated scientific, technical and socioeconomic perspective. It also noted that the forthcoming products of the sixth IPCC assessment cycle will be key inputs to the first global stocktake in 2023.
     It advised that:
    • Lessons can be learned from past experience (referencing in particular, the activities relating to the 2013–2015 review, taking into account successes and shortcomings);
    • Dialogue between IPCC experts and Parties on the findings of the IPCC products, enabling a focused scientific and technical exchange of information in an open and transparent manner, could be utilized;
    • Convening special events, similar to the SBSTA–IPCC special event organized by the SBSTA (held on 18 May 2016), could be of value;
    • Views emerging from the rich exchange of information between the IPCC and Parties at the SBSTA–IPCC special event could be further considered;
    • Inputs from the IPCC should be considered in an effective and balanced manner, as part of the overall input to the global stocktake;
    • The SBSTA–IPCC Joint Working Group could be used to enhance communication and coordination between the SBSTA and the IPCC in the context of the GST.
  • For more details, please see the SBSTA 45 report, paragraphs 47-56.