site.btaSofia Hosts 61st Session of UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The 61st session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations (UN) opened Saturday morning in Sofia. Nearly 500 delegates from 195 countries, part of the IPCC, are taking part in the scientific conferences on climate change and adaptation. They are expected to discuss issues related to the preparation of the organization's reports during the seventh assessment cycle, which began in July of 2023 with the election of a new chair and new IPCC Bureau members, the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) said.

The opening of the session was attended by caretaker Environment and Water Minister Petar Dimitrov, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, and other institutional representatives. Welcoming addresses were delivered by IPCC Chairman Jim Skea, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) President Abdulla Al Mandous, UNEP Deputy Executive Director Elizabeth Maruma Mrema.

The opening of the 61st session of the IPCC in Sofia is an extremely important event for this country because it confirms Bulgaria's role as an active participant in international climate diplomacy, the Ministry of Environment told BTA. The ministry pointed out that climate change and its serious economic and human consequences are a fact that has been visible to everyone in recent days, months and years. It is a global problem that could not be solved in a day by a single institution, government or country. International institutions such as the IPCC provide the direction for the solutions, but these decisions must be taken by the states, the MoEW noted.

At 10:00 and 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, guests and residents will be able to see the Horizon 3D light projection, which is dedicated to climate and the relationship between humans and nature. It will illuminate the National Palace of Culture.

Bulgaria's hosting of the IPCC will last until August 2. There is an accompanying programme with various scientific discussions in the capital and beyond. The start was made with a conference at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences on climate change in the Black Sea region. On Tuesday, July 30, a national conference on climate policies as an opportunity for investment in urban development is scheduled.