PRESS RELEASE : UK Professor Jim Skea elected Chair of the IPCC [July 2023]

The election took place on Wednesday 26 July during the fifty-ninth plenary session of the IPCC in Nairobi, Kenya. Professor Skea will take up his duties for the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Cycle immediately.

As a world-renowned expert in climate and energy research with over forty years of experience, Professor Skea is exceptionally well-qualified to serve in this prestigious role. Professor Skea has contributed to the work of the IPCC for nearly thirty years. He was Co-Chair of the IPCC’s Working Group III on Climate Change Mitigation and co-led the IPCC’s seminal Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C.

FCDO Minister of State Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

Over the last century, pioneering research by the UK’s climate science community has played a pivotal role in understanding how and why our climate is changing. I’m therefore delighted that Professor Skea has been elected by his peers to serve as the Chair of the IPCC. We are confident he will continue the UK’s longstanding scientific contribution to international climate action during this critical decade.

Professor Skea said:

I am humbled and deeply honoured to have been elected Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. My profound thanks and gratitude to those who supported my candidacy. Throughout my campaign, I listened and engaged widely with key stakeholders across the world, which helped shape my vision. As Chair, I will address three key priorities: ensuring inclusive participation and collaboration across all regions; promoting the use of the best and most relevant science; and maximising the reach and impact of the IPCC’s work through engagement with policymakers and other stakeholders.

Throughout his tenure as Chair, Professor Skea will be hosted by the International Institute for Environment and Development, whilst remaining an Emeritus Professor at the internationally acclaimed Imperial College London.

Background

• The IPCC is the globally authoritative United Nations body responsible for assessing the physical basis of climate change, and the mitigation and adaptation solutions to address it. The Chair is the most prestigious role in the IPCC and is responsible for leading the Bureau in setting the strategic direction of the IPCC over its next Assessment Cycle.
• As Professor of Sustainable Energy at the world-renowned Imperial College London, Professor Skea’s academic research spanned multiple disciplines vital to informing action on climate adaptation and mitigation. He has researched and written or co-authored more than eighty publications and several books on energy, climate change and technological innovation.
• He was a founding member of the UK’s Committee on Climate Change and currently chairs Scotland’s Just Transition Commission. In recognition of his pioneering work on sustainable transport and energy, Professor Skea was awarded two high-level UK honours.
• Follow Professor Skea on Twitter: @JimSkeaIPCC and on LinkedIn.