The Synthesis Report is the final instalment of the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report. It integrates and summarises the findings of the six reports released by IPCC during the current cycle which began in 2015. This includes three Special Reports and the three IPCC Working Group contributions to the Sixth Assessment Report.
During this meeting, the IPCC will approve the Summary for Policymakers of the Synthesis Report line by line. The panel will also adopt the longer report section by section.
"Once approved, the Synthesis Report, will become a fundamental policy document for shaping climate action in the remainder of this pivotal decade. For policymakers of today and tomorrow, a much-needed textbook for addressing climate change. Make no mistake, inaction and delays are not listed as options," said the IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee opening the conference.
On behalf of the host country, Swiss Federal Councilor Albert Rösti welcomed over 650 delegates attending this IPCC plenary.
" The outcomes of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change help us, the policy makers, to take informed decisions on addressing climate change. Science and knowledge must play a central role in shaping our policy-making, guiding us as we work to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change," said Mr Rösti.
"The evidence put forward by the IPCC for climate change has been clear, convincing and irrefutable. The IPCC must now point the way to solutions so the urgent need to end global heating with cold, hard facts," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres."
Video messages by Mr Guterres, WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Inger Andersen and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon Stiell were also screened at the plenary.
"I would like to thank all of you for the for the hard work for those reports, which are clearly having a clear message for the decision makers. We need to speed up our climate actions. At the moment, we are heading towards too high warming, and the various impacts of climate change are already very visible worldwide," said Prof. Taalas.
