Global climate change panel elects new chair in Nairobi vote

Art Installation showing plastic pollution at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Gigiri, Nairobi. [File, Standard]

Jim Skea, a sustainable energy professor from the United Kingdom, has been elected as the new chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

IPCC is the United Nations body responsible for assessing the latest climate change science.

The IPCC made the announcement following a closely contested run-off vote held at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi.

Skea secured victory with 90 votes to 69, against Thelma Krug, a prominent mathematician from Brazil, in a momentous decision that will shape the organization's trajectory.

The impending appointment of the new chair comes at a crucial juncture for both the climate and the IPCC itself, with global temperatures anticipated to imminently breach the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.

The elected chair is set to hold office for the next five to seven years, carrying the immense responsibility of leading the world's preeminent climate science institution through a period of extraordinary significance.

This election has been marked by historic firsts, as four candidates competed for the top position, including the first-ever female contenders in the IPCC's 35-year history.

Among them is Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, a distinguished physicist from Belgium, who has previously served as an author and vice-chair of the IPCC since 1995.

In his bid for the top job, van Ypersele emphasizes climate justice and the need for more relevant climate messages to resonate with policymakers.

Thelma Krug, the pioneering Brazilian mathematician, who made history as the first female IPCC vice-chair in 2015, seeks to further promote regional representation and inclusivity within the body.

Inspired by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's prioritization of climate change issues, Krug's potential election as the first Latin American chair holds immense significance.

Debra Roberts, a distinguished natural scientist from South Africa and the current co-chair of the IPCC group on climate change's impacts had garnered the endorsement of the African Union.

With her vast practical experience, especially in urban reforestation, Roberts was well-positioned to steer the IPCC towards producing more impactful reports, which can inform real-world decisions more effectively than ever before.

Jim Skea's selection as the new chair underlines his extensive experience, having been involved with the IPCC for the past three decades.

His expertise in mitigating climate change, particularly in addressing overshoot scenarios beyond the limits of the Paris Agreement, resonated with voters.

Skea's leadership will also benefit from his track record of forging consensus in climate negotiations.

The chair's election is conducted through a closed-door, secret ballot process. In the event of no candidate obtaining a simple majority in the first round, the top two contenders will compete in a further round to determine the final outcome.

All 195 member states hold a crucial vote in shaping the future leadership of the IPCC.

The chair will be tasked with guiding the IPCC in its mission to provide authoritative scientific knowledge to combat the existential threat of climate change on a global scale.