Many people are familiar with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from the extensive, well-researched reports on climate change that often make headlines. But what exactly is the IPCC, and what does it do? The IPCC is a United Nations body that synthesises and summarises scientific literature on climate change for a policy audience. It regularly publishes reports on the international state of knowledge about climate change and its impacts. These reports are designed to inform policymakers worldwide and assist them in making well-informed decisions.
This year, preparations began for a special report on cities and climate change, scheduled for release in 2027. Prof. Bart van den Hurk, scientific director at Deltares, co-chairs the working group on climate impacts and adaptation, leading the development of this report with his team.
Dutch experts consider the future of urban climate policy
In the context of the new IPCC report on climate change and cities, KIN organised the KIN Expert Consultation in the Netherlands on March 6. This meeting provided experts from various organisations and disciplines with the opportunity to offer questions and insights to the Dutch representatives attending the upcoming report.
Anne-Marie Hitipeuw, working as a senior policy advisor for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and Heleen de Coninck, professor at Eindhoven University of Technology and Radboud University, brought the input from the KIN Expert Consultation meeting to the international IPCC meeting in Riga. This ‘scoping meeting’ was the first step in the IPCC process to develop a new report.
Riga at the centre of the international climate discussion
The international meeting in Riga, where a proposal for the new report’s outline was drafted by climate experts and scientists from around the world, took place from Tuesday to Friday (16-19 april) in Riga, Latvia. Anne-Marie described how the days were filled with plenary sessions and breakout groups, where specific themes were explored in depth: “Each day began at 9 AM in a large hall with about 200 people, where everyone had their own nameplate to make their contributions known.”
Anne-Marie particularly noted how the diverse input from participants was recorded and condensed into a single conclusion in the breakout sessions. “This sometimes led to intense discussions that went on late into the evening. Because many participants came from different backgrounds—from scientists of all kinds to urban policymakers—the conversations were rich with varied perspectives.”
Heleen shared how stories from policymakers in different cities, such as Paris and Jakarta, stuck with her. These stories highlight the challenges and solutions cities worldwide face in addressing climate change. “Paris is trying to use the Olympic Games for sustainability and combine them with social policy. Jakarta struggles with sea level rise combined with other issues, such as land subsidence due to groundwater extraction. It also struck me how scientists often think differently about what should be in such a report compared to practitioners, and how valuable it is to have those policymakers involved and listen carefully to them. Otherwise, you put a lot of effort into such a report, and it ends up being too theoretical or answering the wrong questions.”
Dutch experts consider the future of urban climate policy
In the context of the new IPCC report on climate change and cities, KIN organised the KIN Expert Consultation in the Netherlands on March 6. This meeting provided experts from various organisations and disciplines with the opportunity to offer questions and insights to the Dutch representatives attending the upcoming report.
Anne-Marie Hitipeuw, working as a senior policy advisor for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and Heleen de Coninck, professor at Eindhoven University of Technology and Radboud University, brought the input from the KIN Expert Consultation meeting to the international IPCC meeting in Riga. This ‘scoping meeting’ was the first step in the IPCC process to develop a new report.
Riga at the centre of the international climate discussion
The international meeting in Riga, where a proposal for the new report’s outline was drafted by climate experts and scientists from around the world, took place from Tuesday to Friday (16-19 april) in Riga, Latvia. Anne-Marie described how the days were filled with plenary sessions and breakout groups, where specific themes were explored in depth: “Each day began at 9 AM in a large hall with about 200 people, where everyone had their own nameplate to make their contributions known.”
Anne-Marie particularly noted how the diverse input from participants was recorded and condensed into a single conclusion in the breakout sessions. “This sometimes led to intense discussions that went on late into the evening. Because many participants came from different backgrounds—from scientists of all kinds to urban policymakers—the conversations were rich with varied perspectives.”
Heleen shared how stories from policymakers in different cities, such as Paris and Jakarta, stuck with her. These stories highlight the challenges and solutions cities worldwide face in addressing climate change. “Paris is trying to use the Olympic Games for sustainability and combine them with social policy. Jakarta struggles with sea level rise combined with other issues, such as land subsidence due to groundwater extraction. It also struck me how scientists often think differently about what should be in such a report compared to practitioners, and how valuable it is to have those policymakers involved and listen carefully to them. Otherwise, you put a lot of effort into such a report, and it ends up being too theoretical or answering the wrong questions.”
Roadmap to a new climate policy
The proposed outline of the report, along with the scoping report, will be submitted to the IPCC plenary in July 2024. This document will remain internal until it is approved by the countries and the IPCC session documents are posted online. After approval, authors will be nominated and selected, with the first authors’ meeting scheduled for March or April 2025.
Sharing insights and the importance of a common language
For the participants of the KIN Expert Consultation, it is interesting to know that topics such as climate justice, the interdependence between mitigation and adaptation, and the capabilities of cities to implement climate policies were prominent in Riga. Attention was also paid to challenges in informal settlements and the importance of local and indigenous knowledge. The diversity of cities was a recurring theme in the discussions. How do you categorise cities in such a report? By continent, or by the wealth of a country? Perhaps Shanghai and New York have more in common than Shanghai and a smaller city in China. Do you then classify by city size? But where do you draw the line? A city with a million inhabitants is very different from a city with 10 million. How a city is governed also matters; is it a separate province like Mexico City or Washington, DC, or not, like Amsterdam?
Anne-Marie noted that the Dutch input, such as smart spatial planning (Dutch source) and considering local climate effects, was relevant but sometimes needed to be translated into internationally accepted terms. “We are working on making water and soil the guiding factors in spatial choices. The guideline is to build only in places suitable from the water and soil system perspective, where the recently completed spatial assessment framework can provide insight. I noticed that Dutch terminology does not align with the international terms used. That was sometimes challenging.” This underscores the importance of clear communication and translating local insights to a broader, international audience. Anne-Marie added: “But when I spoke about smart, long-term planning (land-use planning), with knowledge about the local impact of climate change, it was better understood. This highlights the importance of a common language.”
Contributing to the IPCC report on cities trough the KIN
KIN will regularly provide an update on the progress of the IPCC process. Keep an eye on KIN’s communication channels for updates. Would you like to actively contribute to the IPCC process using your own background and expertise? Then you might consider applying as a reviewer for the report on climate change and cities at a later stage.
Continuing to work towards a sustainable future
Although Heleen had to miss the KIN Expert Consultation, she emphasised the importance of such initiatives. It also highlights the difference in local capacities between the Netherlands and other countries. “In Argentina or Indonesia, it is unthinkable to organise such a meeting; the countries are too large, and policymakers and scientists cannot make time for it. And there is no KIN.” Anne-Marie indicated that she regularly consulted the documents from the KIN Expert Consultation to prepare her input for Riga. She appreciated the opportunity to share knowledge and learn from international colleagues, which broadened her understanding of climate challenges.
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