The 64th Plenary Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) closed in Bangkok on Friday, March 27, 2026. The session discussed the review of the Principles and Procedures that govern IPCC’s work.
These should be reviewed every five years and are critical to ensuring the IPCC’s capacity to produce comprehensive, neutral, objective, transparent, inclusive, and robust assessments of climate-related science.
The Panel decided to consider the review of the IPCC Principles and Procedures at future sessions.
During the Plenary, the member governments also decided to consider the timeline of the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7).
While the Panel made no formal decision, the member governments clearly indicated that they want the timeline agreed at its next session.
“In IPCC, we use our best endeavours to achieve consensus. Sometimes, as we pursue our best endeavours, we strive in slightly different directions. But I think the spirit of compromise and flexibility in IPCC was shown in the end,” said IPCC Chair Jim Skea, addressing the delegates in closing the session.
During the four-day session, the Panel also considered the financial situation and fundraising for the IPCC Trust Fund for this cycle and beyond to ensure its long-term sustainability. Supported entirely by voluntary contributions from member governments, the IPCC Trust Fund is the key mechanism enabling participation by developing-country governments and scientists in the IPCC’s work.
The Panel also agreed on the work programme of the Task Group for Data Support for Climate Change Assessments.
The 64th Plenary Session of the IPCC was also the last one for the IPCC Secretary, Abdalah Mokssit, who led the IPCC Secretariat for the past decade, and will retire in the next few months. On this occasion, the delegates, Bureau Members, observer organisations, and staff expressed appreciation for the outgoing Secretary’s strong commitment and rich contributions.