Global climate experts and negotiators have launched the long-anticipated overhaul of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 1994 technical guidelines for assessing climate impacts and adaptation, at a high-level session convened under the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) in Bonn.
The session—dubbed “Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) – SBSTA Chair–IPCC Event on Adaptation”—comes ahead of the pivotal COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil, and signals renewed urgency in aligning science with climate policy in the era of rising climate risks.
“This is a valuable opportunity to hear directly from IPCC Working Group II experts, learn about their ongoing work, and consider how it can support adaptation efforts,” said Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, chair of SBSTA, as he opened the session to delegates and observers.
"Let this session be a catalyst for adaptation action—a chance to build momentum and forge stronger connections between science, policy, and practice.”
The revision of the 1994 guidelines follows a mandate from COP28 in Dubai, which launched a two-year programme—spearheaded by the UAE—that produced 9,509 adaptation indicators.
These were refined into 409 priority indicators across 11 targets, forming the backbone of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) framework.
IPCC Chair Jim Skea underscored the need to modernise the guidelines to reflect today’s climate realities.
“One of the products agreed upon by IPCC member governments last year is the update to the 1994 technical guidelines,” he said.
“I confess—I helped write the original document, but honestly, I can’t remember a thing about it. Let’s hope my colleagues now do a better job preserving institutional memory.”
The revised guidelines will now cover the full adaptation cycle: from goal setting and risk assessment to implementation, monitoring, and learning.
For the first time, adaptation finance, losses, and damages will also be featured, reflecting pressing global priorities.
“We’re not just updating documents—we’re responding to a clear design call for real-world relevance,” said one Working Group II co-chair.
The event also offered a glimpse into the upcoming Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) cycle. Scheduled outputs include a special report on climate change in cities and a methodology report on short-lived climate forcers, both due in 2027.
A first-ever joint lead author meeting across all IPCC working groups is slated for December 2025 in Paris, with the AR7 synthesis report expected by 2029.
The updated adaptation guidelines will also incorporate multi-level perspectives, blending regional and sectoral planning frameworks.
A new interactive atlas—building on the AR6 digital platform—will allow users to explore layers of data on vulnerability and adaptation progress.
“The choices we make today,” one speaker reminded delegates, “will shape the world future generations inherit.”
Uganda’s Assistant Commissioner for Climate Change, Bob Natifu, called for stronger institutional support within the IPCC for adaptation work.
“Given the current political and methodological challenges in evaluating adaptation indicators, it is both useful and prudent for the IPCC to establish a dedicated task force on adaptation within its system,” he said.
“This, in our view, would offer a long-term solution for consistent and robust support.”
Natifu also urged governments to review their principles and procedures to align with the renewed adaptation push, particularly for countries vulnerable to climate shocks.
As COP30 looms, the revamped adaptation guidelines are seen as a critical toolkit for nations charting pathways through an increasingly turbulent climate landscape.
Delegates widely agreed: after decades of delay, adaptation is finally being given the scientific and political focus it urgently deserves.
