The IPCC Leadership at Sciences Po: Where Are We Headed?

In 2024, the hottest year ever recorded, global temperatures exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time, temporarily crossing the threshold set by the Paris Agreement and confirmed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, GIEC in French). The acceleration of climate impacts worldwide is now confirming long-standing scientific warnings and intensifying social, economic, and geopolitical pressures. Marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement offers a crucial moment to reflect: How far have we come, and where are we heading in the global response to climate change?

On 3 December, as the 640 authors of the next IPCC Working Group reports prepare for their first-ever joint Lead Author Meeting this December, Sciences Po and the IPCC co-hosted a landmark panel discussion. The President of the IPCC, Jim Skea, and members of its leadership, Joy Jacqueline Pereira, Bart van den Hurk, and Robert Vautard, shared their insights on the progress achieved, the challenges ahead, and the future directions for global climate action. They looked back on nearly four decades of climate research and assessment, reflecting on the scientific foundations built since the IPCC’s creation. They also reviewed what the past ten years of climate action have delivered — and what still needs to be done to meet the temperature goals set in Paris and safeguard our collective future. Two Master's students, Godfried Akuesson (School of Public Affairs) and Younju Lee (Paris School of International Affairs), moderated the event.