Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 12 October 2026 Thank you, Ko, especially as you serve in a dual role at this plenary: interim Secretary of the IPCC and Deputy Secretary-General of the WMO. Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates and colleagues, dear guests, ladies and gentlemen, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which I have the privilege of chairing, has already begun its work this morning. But I wish to take this opportunity, at the ceremonial opening, to formally welcome representatives of member governments, observer organisations, and IPCC Bureau members to the IPCC’s 65th Plenary Session. I also want to welcome the staff of the IPCC Secretariat and the Technical Support Units, as well as media representatives joining us for this opening. Our generous hosts, the Ethiopian government and the city of Addis Ababa, have done a tremendous job preparing this important meeting, and we thank them for their kind welcome and hospitality. I am glad that this Plenary and its opening coincide with, and can contribute to, the grand inauguration of the Ethiopian Meteorological Institute’s new seat and facilities. We congratulate EMI on this important boost in capacity to deliver its professional services and reinforce its scientific excellence. Ethiopia has staunchly supported the IPCC’s scientific work. I am proud to add that Ethiopian scientists are working on all three Working Group contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report – which brings me to our work this week. We’ve had steady progress over the past three years. Our focus is now shifting decisively to the scientific content. The first three reports of the cycle will be published next year. In less than six months, we will gather in an approval plenary for the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities. Then, in the second half of next year, we will also have the Methodology Report on Short-Lived Climate Forces and the Methodology Report on Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies, Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage ready for approval and publication. The first two of these reports will be ready in time for us to engage with the 32nd COP in Addis Ababa next November, and we look forward to supporting and working with its Presidency. Since the author’s first meeting ten months ago, the three Working Groups have significantly advanced their respective drafts. The Expert Review of the Working Group I draft concluded earlier this month while Working Group II Expert Review began last week. And, Working Group III held its second Lead Author meeting just two weeks ago. The Bureau and the Panel have every reason to be proud of these achievements. To move this work forward, the Panel will revisit this week the topic of timelines for the three Working Group contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report. This remains a critical gap, one the Panel has signalled in the last Plenary that it is keen to bridge and close. As the Chair, I am committed to doing my utmost to facilitate consensus among the member governments. Thank you for your valuable contributions to the so-called ‘options paper’. This has been informed by input from all relevant stakeholders and has been one of my top priorities over the last few months. This plenary is at a critical juncture, and I am confident that the Panel is fully aware of the organisational and reputational significance of its decision on the workplan for the Seventh Assessment Report at this meeting. As Chair and a scientist myself, I’d like to highlight that around a thousand authors worldwide are volunteering their work to assess the available science and deliver the reports the Panel agreed for this cycle. All are experts in their respective fields, balancing professional commitments with volunteering their knowledge and time to IPCC. They underpin IPCC’s authority and standing as a unique science-policy interface. The Panel is indebted to their work. But our authors deserve clarity and certainty about the key dates and duration of their volunteering commitment to IPCC so they can plan their private and professional lives accordingly. I encourage member governments to spare no effort to find consensus and reach a decision. I would also like to draw your attention to the discussion of the role of Artificial Intelligence in IPCC processes and the Bureau’s recent decision to establish an Informal Group on Artificial Intelligence. Important questions remain: how can AI support IPCC assessments while retaining human accountability? What precautionary measures and constraints might be necessary to ensure compliance with the Principles Governing IPCC work? I also want to flag the discussion of the IPCC Trust Fund’s financial standing and the budget for the upcoming period. Incoming voluntary contributions this year are at insufficient levels. They amount to about a third of the Panel-approved 2026 budget. The Trust Fund is critical to delivering the IPCC mandate and the Panel´s inclusivity. We are grateful for all the contributions and pledges received so far. But this is not enough to ensure the delivery of approved IPCC work. I again encourage member governments to consider new and increased contributions to our Trust Fund, and I stress that multi-year funding commitments are especially valuable for planning future activities and expenditures. This week we also have several standing items, including progress reports from the Working Groups, the Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, the Secretariat, the Chair´s Office, the Publications and Translations Committee, the Gender Action team, and our UNFCCC colleagues. Now, given that the recently appointed next Secretary of the IPCC is in the room with us representing the UNFCCC, may I invite the entire Panel to join me in a round of applause to welcome Annett Moehner, the next Secretary of the IPCC, who will lead the Secretariat as of 1 November. Welcome Annett! Now, with such thunderous applause, please join me in another round of applause to thank the Deputy Secretary-General of WMO, Ko Barrett, for taking on additional work and responsibility as the interim Secretary of the IPCC during this transitional period. Lastly, I want to add that we are looking forward to our participation in the upcoming COP31 in Turkey next month where we keen to support and actively contribute in no small measure to the events and discussions led by the Presidency. As already indicated, when we meet for the COP32 in Addis Ababa next November, the IPCC will be bringing the first set scientific findings and methodology guidance of this cycle to the attention of the policymakers, echoing the indicated climate action priorities of the Ethiopian Presidency. And before returning the microphone to you, Ko, let me conclude by expressing my hope and belief that this will be a constructive, productive session, conducted in the spirit of respect and consideration, and focused on upholding and delivering the IPCC’s mandate. Thank you.