Earth Today | ‘Include the science’

THE 39-member Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is calling for a global commitment to ensure essential inputs are provided for upcoming reports from the world’s leading scientific body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

“This must be done in time to inform action that can stave off the most catastrophic impacts of climate change,” said a release from AOSIS, ahead of the meeting of climate change scientists and experts at the 62nd meeting of the IPCC in Hangzhou, China, from February 24.

Small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs) are concerned that the Seventh Assessment Report of the IPCC, which will contain essential scientific inputs, may not be ready in time to inform the second round of the Global Stocktake.

The Global Stocktake (GST) is a critical tool used to track the world’s progress toward fulfilling the goals of the Paris Agreement. Among other things, it provides the opportunity for countries to identify where they are falling short on their obligations to mitigate climate change and to collaborate to make the necessary adjustments.

Without the IPCC report informing the next GST, AOSIS has insisted that vital analysis on priority areas, including adaptation and mitigation as well as climate financing, will not be adequately addressed.

This, they warned, could lead to a Global Stocktake that lacks the latest science from the IPCC, “resulting in a push towards actions which are politically expedient rather than adequately addressing needs identified by extensive scientific analysis”.

AOSIS Chair, Her Excellency Ilana Seid, has noted that with growing global emissions that fuel global warming and its associated impacts – from sea level rise to extreme hurricane events, the likes of which has devastated some Caribbean SIDS over recent years – the integration of the science must be prioritised.

“Our islands are enduring the indisputable effects of climate change right now, and data-driven action is absolutely essential if we hope to combat this crisis.The IPCC reports are a cornerstone of international climate understanding and action,” she said.

“At the annual UN climate meetings, our world came together via COP28’s UAE Consensus, pledging to uphold the integrity of climate science. The Global Stocktake is integral to efficiently track our world’s progress towards achieving the 1.5-degree goal of the Paris Agreement,” she added.

“The process of a second Global Stocktake will launch in 2026 and countries must act on their acknowledgement that timely and relevant insights from the IPCC are integral to the Global Stocktake process. To backtrack is to drive our world irrevocably off-track,” Seid said further.

According to the AOSIS chair, ‘wielding the best scientific analysis will improve our collective understanding and bolster our defences in this fight to address climate change”.

“The Global Stocktake is a vital tool for identifying gaps in global climate action, and inclusive climate science – which takes SIDS’ and LDCS’ unique circumstances into account – will ensure we can build the most robust roadmap to achieve sustainability and resilience for all.,” she added.

It is against this background and given the prevailing climate threats affecting SIDS that AOSIS has called for the prioritisation of the science.

“In an age where we are facing dangerous consequences from misinformation, we must elevate our strategies with the most thoroughly analysed facts and complete analysis. Climate science must remain accessible and actionable for all. Our survival depends on it,” Seid said.

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