IPCC Reps to Take Part in Climate Change Awareness Week

Regional representatives of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will be visiting Jamaica to participate in activities to mark Climate Change Awareness Week, scheduled for November 29 to December 3.

The IPCC is the international body for assessing the science related to climate change and provides policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impact and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation.

Representatives are expected from Cuba, Suriname, Haiti and other members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Highlighting the IPCC’s involvement in the week’s proceedings, Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Oral Khan, said that the group will primarily raise awareness, especially among policymakers and the scientific community from the region, about its role and activities, demonstrate how climate change is affecting the region and highlight solutions to the challenges.

“The IPCC is an international body of scientists from across the globe. This is the body that assesses all the data from the academic community that relates to climate and weather… they assess these scientific reports and make their conclusions in order to help guide what policymakers do,” Lt. Col. Khan explained.

“So, they (IPCC) are coming to share with our policymakers, academic community, media, students and other interested persons the state of the science on climate change… and the information will confirm that the climate is indeed changing in a very significant way, and because of this, policies must be found to build our resilience in order to be spared the worst impacts of climate change,” he said.

The IPCC will be participating in a media workshop on November 29 and a two-day symposium, November 30 to December 1. Both events will be held at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters at Mona.

The Chief Technical Director noted that the intention is to enlist the participation of the local science and research community in climate research, and encourage regional participation.

The media workshop, he added, will assist in fostering a better understanding about climate science, solutions to climate change and the IPCC process among members of that group.

The IPCC will also meet with government officials and members of the Youth Environmental Advocacy Programme (YEAP).

“We are expecting a rich exchange of ideas, sharing of information and at the end, the information will go out across the Caribbean,” Lt. Col. Khan said.

The IPCC was set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

It embodies a unique opportunity to provide rigorous and balanced scientific information to decision-makers because of its scientific and intergovernmental nature. Participation in the IPCC is open to all member countries of the WMO and United Nations. It currently has 195 members.