28-7-2023 (SINGAPORE) Associate Professor Winston Chow made history on Thursday evening as he was elected co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), becoming the first Singaporean to assume this prestigious role within the United Nations’ leading climate science body.
The IPCC is responsible for examining the scientific foundations of climate change, assessing its impacts and future risks, and proposing viable strategies for countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and implement effective adaptation measures. Its reports play a critical role in guiding governments worldwide in formulating climate-related policies and contributing to the global climate action outlined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
In his capacity as co-chair, Prof. Chow, an esteemed climate change scientist, will be actively involved in Working Group II’s endeavors, focusing on climate change impacts and adaptation measures as part of the panel’s seventh assessment report cycle. His expertise lies in the realm of urban climate, and he currently serves as a Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow at Singapore Management University’s College of Integrative Studies. Since 2017, he has been the principal investigator for the Cooling Singapore initiative, leading interdisciplinary research on how Singapore’s urban climate risks will evolve with rising temperatures.
The elections for various top positions within the IPCC took place from Tuesday, with the final announcements expected on Friday in Nairobi, Kenya.
Expressing his gratitude in a LinkedIn post, Prof. Chow stated that he felt deeply honored to be elected and acknowledged the trust that numerous countries placed in his ability to lead the body’s assessments on global climate change impacts and adaptation in the years to come. He emphasized that combatting the climate crisis required comprehensive and collaborative efforts, both within and beyond the IPCC community, to build successful climate resilience.
Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, congratulated Prof. Chow on Facebook, expressing confidence in his capabilities to serve the IPCC effectively. She highlighted his vital role in enhancing the understanding of climate change impacts and fostering the development of resilient climate adaptation solutions. Prof. Chow will collaborate with Professor Bart van den Hurk from the Netherlands, his fellow co-chair, in fulfilling his responsibilities.
The IPCC’s work remains instrumental in guiding the global community, particularly developing nations, in formulating their environmental responses. Singapore’s own efforts, as outlined in the Singapore Green Plan 2030, have drawn insights from the panel’s Seventh Assessment Report (AR7).
In shaping the AR7, Prof. Chow will work closely with Professor Jim Skea, the newly elected chair of the IPCC Bureau. The findings of this assessment will play a significant role in informing global climate action.
Prof. Chow emphasized the increasing vulnerability of human and natural systems to climate change impacts, particularly affecting communities with minimal contributions to the crisis. He stressed the importance of robust assessments from Working Group II to facilitate appropriate adaptation approaches, mitigate risks, and bolster climate resilience.
The IPCC consists of three working groups and a task force, publishing reports every six to seven years to ensure the continuous update of climate change science based on the latest available data. The current cycle, the seventh assessment, involves content from three working groups. Apart from Working Group II, Working Group I scrutinizes the physical aspects of climate change, while Working Group III focuses on mitigation strategies. Additionally, special reports delve into specific issues like the ocean and its ecosystems and the connections between climate change and land.
Each working group comprises two co-chairs, one from a developing country and the other from a developed nation, along with 15 vice-chairs across all three groups.
In April, the Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment nominated Prof. Chow for the position due to his extensive experience and expertise in the field. The inclusion of a Special Report on Cities and Climate Change in the AR7 cycle particularly aligns with his significant research and fieldwork in this area.
