An IPCC Symposium to be Held: Global Warming Countermeasures - IPCC Activities and Future Efforts during the Sixth Assessment Cycle-

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been advancing full-fledged discussions for preparing its Sixth Assessment Report and a special report on global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. In light of this action, on January 26 (Thurs.), 2017, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will hold a symposium at Hatsumeikaikan (2-9-14 Toranomon, Minato Ward, Tokyo) to enrich public understanding of these reports, focusing on the important issues regarding climate change mitigation, IPCC's future efforts and expected challenges, and other key points.

1. Outline

As one of the achievements of international negotiations regarding climate change, the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2015 adopted the Paris Agreement, an international framework regarding countermeasures against global warming from 2020, and the agreement came into force in November 2016. As seen in the adoption of a working plan for adopting concrete rules for implementing the agreement at the 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) of the UNFCCC, which was held immediately after the COP 21, member countries have been steadily advancing discussions to construct fair and effective frameworks for the agreement.

In response to the adoption and enforcement of the agreement, the IPCC, an organization playing a role in providing the latest scientific knowledge about global warming, has also been accelerating work for preparing a variety of reports to be submitted during the sixth assessment cycle from 2015 to 2022. In addition, in October 2016, the IPCC approved the outline of the special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, which member countries were invited to submit at the COP21. Moreover, the IPCC agreed to a preparation schedule for the Sixth Assessment Report in April 2016 and will start discussions regarding the outline of the report in May 2017.

In light of these actions, METI will hold a symposium to provide an opportunity for the public to discuss the outline and summarized details of a variety of IPCC reports, important issues to be included in such reports, expected challenges in future efforts and other issues; and, to enrich understanding thereof.

At the symposium, Dr. Priyadarshi R. Shukla, Co-Chair of the IPCC Working Group III that assesses options for mitigating climate change through limiting or preventing greenhouse gas emissions and discussing other issues, and other experts from inside and outside Japan will deliver speeches concerning these issues. At the panel discussion held at the latter half of the symposium, panelists, including other experts from a variety of fields, will discuss the expectation to and challenges in the IPCC and approaches to taking countermeasures against global warming.

2. Date and other information

Date and time: January 26 (Thurs.), 2017; from 13:00 to 17:15 (reception will open at 12:30) Venue: Basement Hall, Hatsumeikaikan (2-9-14 Toranomon, Minato Ward, Tokyo) Organizer: METI Co-organizer: Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) Program: Speeches, panel discussion, etc. (Simultaneous interpretation between Japanese and English will be available) Capacity: 250 (free of charge; prior registration required)

Note: For details of the symposium, see the Appendix or visit the following website of the secretariat of the symposium.

3. How to apply

If you wish to attend the symposium, please register through the following website in advance by January 20 (Fri.), 2017. Admission is free. Acceptance of applications will be closed as soon as the fixed number is reached.

For details of the symposium and registration counter, please visit the following website of the secretariat of the symposium.

Release date

December 22, 2016

Division in Charge

Global Environmental Affairs Office, Environmental Policy Division, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau