The IPCC could run out of funding by 2028

To fund its important work, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) relies on voluntary funding from governments to its trust fund. But the funding from governments has fallen considerably for the past two years, and now the organisation warns that it could run out of money as early as 2028 unless it receives a funding boost.

During an IPCC session late last month, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen said that IPCC expenditures are exceeding contributions. Anderson warned that if this trend continues, the IPCC trust fund will soon be depleted. Jim Skea, chair of the IPCC, told delegates during the session that this could happen by 2028. Skea also warned that the completion of the next set of climate assessment reports could be at risk unless the IPCC receives increased funds or implement severe spending cuts.

In a financial report, the IPCC explained that “in recent years, the IPCC’s financial situation has come under strain, including amid current geopolitical challenges”. While the IPCC has refrained from mentioning any specific governments, their own financial data clearly shows that Donald Trump’s US exit from the UNFCCC and IPCC has had a major impact on its financials. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody, considering that the US has been a major funder of the IPCC since the organisations’ inception.

There’s a growing discrepancy between the ambition of the IPCC and what is feasible given the budget. In the end it means more pressure on authors who are already volunteering their time, and quite possibly less inclusivity of experts from developing countries.

Some countries are no longer hiding that they’re simply not interested in science-informed policy and decision-making.

— Richard Klein, expert on the science and policy of adaptation to climate change.

Governments rely on the IPCC to assess and consolidate the latest scientific literature on climate change. The IPCC’s reports are indispensable as they directly affect the policymaking process of governments around the world. Therefore, it’s crucial that other countries step up and fill the hole left by the departure of the US and give more money to the IPCC.