The UN climate panel approves a 6-year program focusing on adaptation

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) approved a new six-year work program in Istanbul "with an emphasis on climate change adaptation" and a final summary report to be issued by the end of 2029, the statement said. The new agenda was adopted on Saturday by "more than 300 delegates from 120 governments" after four days of debate and one night of additional negotiations, reflecting the challenges of reaching consensus. It follows previous models of publishing several voluminous intermediary reports ending with a final synthesis. Global emissions, which have not yet peaked, must fall by 43 percent between 2019 and 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial emissions, which the IPCC says is the target set by the 2016 Paris Agreement. Similar to in the previous reporting cycle, three working groups were established to examine the physical science basis of climate change; human and ecosystem adaptation and vulnerability; and solutions to limit global warming.