Imperial scientist elected to major position on climate change panel

Professor Jim Skea elected co-chair of the IPCC's Working Group III, focussing on climate change mitigation and options for cutting emissions.

Professor Skea, who is Chair in Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London’s Centre for Environmental Policy, will serve in the position on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) until 2022.

The aims of Working Group III will be especially important in the wake of the Conference of Parties 21 Paris climate summit in December. Countries meeting at the summit will aim to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, with the goal of keeping global warming below 2°C.

With his co-chair, Professor PR Shukla of the Indian Institute of Management, Professor Skea will lead the production of the Group’s report and its contribution to the next overall IPCC report. He will also manage the approval of the Groups’ Summary for Policymakers, an influential text that is approved line by line by governments.

Professor Skea was elected this week at a meeting in Dubrovnik. He has served on the IPCC previously as vice-chair of Working Group III for the Fifth Assessment Report, the IPCC’s last major report, and has also been a Review Editor and Coordinating Lead Author.

Sir Gordon Conway, Chair of International Development at Imperial’s Centre for Environmental Policy, expressed his congratulations: “I am delighted at the news of Jim Skea’s appointment as IPCC Working Group III Co-Chair.

“I know that he will make an excellent chair, ensuring that outcomes are both realistic and effective.  Anyone that is concerned about climate change should be able to rest a little easier as a result of this news.”

Dr Zen Makuch, Acting Director of the Centre for Environmental Policy, added his praise: “All of Jim’s colleagues are extremely pleased at the news of Jim’s new status as Co-Chair of Working Group III and we feel privileged to have worked alongside him and otherwise collaborate with him going back 17 years.

“Those among us that are veterans of the UNFCCC negotiations recognise the tremendous importance to be attached to IPCC Reports in shaping the negotiations. As such, leadership of the kind produced by Jim and the rest of the IPCC is fundamental to the sustainability of our planet”.