31 March 2017: The 45th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-45) concluded with the adoption of several decisions that will significantly shape the outcomes of the sixth assessment cycle, including the outlines of two special reports. The meeting’s achievements were somewhat overcast by funding concerns, and the IPCC established and adopted the terms of reference for an Ad Hoc Task Group on Financial Stability of the IPCC.

IPCC-45 convened from 28-31 March 2017, in Guadalajara, Mexico, and brought together approximately 320 participants from over 100 countries. Having adopted the outline of the special report on global warming of 1.5°C at its previous session, IPCC-45 turned its attention to the special reports on climate change and land, and on oceans and cryosphere in a changing climate. Delegates adopted the outlines for both of these reports.

The outline of the special report on climate change and land includes references to the limits of adaptation and residual risks, in response to the requests of several countries for the inclusion of loss and damage.

The special report, titled ‘Special Report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems,’ will document existing scientific knowledge on the linkages between climate change and land, of relevance to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 (climate action) and SDG 15 (life on land) in a holistic manner. Its chapters will address: land-climate interactions; desertification; land degradation; food security; interlinkages between desertification, land degradation, food security and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes; and risk management and decision making in relation to sustainable development. Nearly every chapter includes a reference to the limits of adaptation and residual risks, in response to the requests of several countries for the inclusion of loss and damage.

The second special report considered, titled ‘Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate,’ will present science relevant to achieving SDG 13 (climate action) and SDG 14 (life below water). Its chapters will cover the following issues: framing and context; high mountain areas; polar regions; sea level rise and implications for low lying islands, coasts and communities; changing ocean, marine ecosystems, and dependent communities; and extremes, abrupt changes and managing risks. The chapter on changing ocean, marine ecosystems and dependent communities includes blue carbon and other nature-based mitigation solutions, while other geoengineering issues will be addressed in the sixth Assessment Report (AR6).

The call for nominations for authors will run from early April to mid-May. Both reports are expected to be finalized by the IPCC September 2019.

The IPCC also adopted decisions on the IPCC Trust Fund Programme and Budget, [IPCC Press Release] [Climate Change and Land Outline] [Oceans and Cryosphere Outline] [Earth Negotiations Bulletin Coverage of IPCC 45]