The African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) plays an essential role in advancing climate action across the African continent by providing scientific evidence that informs climate policies. The AGNES is instrumental in amplifying the African priorities with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ensuring the research priorities and are strongly represented. The IPCC is a United Nations body that assesses the scientific, technical, and socio-economic information relevant to understanding climate change. It provides governments with regular, evidence based scientific assessments on climate change impacts, future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. Following the agreed outlines for the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) during the P62 session, and the subsequent first Lead Authors Meeting, the AGNES in collaboration with the Government of Kenya and its partners convened the Second Lead Authors Meeting (LAM2) for the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, alongside a Pan-African Regional Outreach Event.
LAM2: Advancing the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities
The Second Lead Author Meeting (LAM2) was held between 21–25 July 2025, bringing together 97 authors from 56 countries to refine the Zero Order Draft report on the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities. The LAM2 aimed to strengthen the draft chapters, enhancing cross-chapter integration, and aligning contributions across the IPCC Working Groups I, II, and II, consequently, informing the First Order Draft, scheduled for review in October 2025.
Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, alongside the County Government of Mombasa, and the IPCC Bureau Members Bart van den Hurk and Cromwell Lukorito, through their opening remarks, underscored the significance of African participation in shaping the report on climate change and cities, emphasizing inclusivity, regionally grounded perspectives in strengthening the scientific credibility and policy relevance of the report.
Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, alongside the Mombasa County Government, emphasized the urgency of building climate-resilient cities. The meeting was a milestone in advancing an globally inclusive assessment, while also ensuring Africa’s rapidly urbanizing context is adequately captured. Outcomes from LAM2 will inform the First Order Draft, scheduled for expert review in October 2025.
Pan-African Regional Outreach Event: Connecting Science and Policy
The Pan-African Regional Outreach Event held on 25–26 July 2025 at the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM). The event convened around 130 participants across the five African sub-regions, including
The participation by category included Government Agencies, IPCC Bureau members, national focal points, scientists, universities, representing all five African sub-regions, including government agencies, IPCC Bureau members, national focal points, scientists, universities, NGOs, media, and students.
The outreach aimed to expand awareness of the IPCC process and foster stronger collaboration across African institutions. It created opportunities to spotlight research gaps, mobilize early-career scientists, and enhance participation in the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Cycle.
Key discussions were structured through interactive “World Café” sessions:
- Inclusivity and Representation: Participants highlighted the underrepresentation of African experts in IPCC processes and called for mentorship, stronger reviewer networks, and repositories of grey literature and Indigenous Knowledge.
- Diversity of Knowledge: Calls were made to expand the use of non-English, social science, and locally grounded sources in IPCC assessments.
- Review and Approval of Reports: Participants proposed strengthening regional review systems, empowering focal points, and enhancing logistical support to broaden African participation.
- Networking and Collaboration: Proposals included establishing a Pan-African Climate Science Network and sub-regional synthesis centers to ensure African knowledge informs IPCC reports.
- Youth and Early Career Engagement: Young scientists emphasized their role in shaping Africa’s long-term climate voice, with proposals for mentorship programs, fellowships, and youth-led research platforms.
Through these dialogues, the outreach event successfully linked science with policy, underscored Africa’s research priorities, and deepened understanding of how IPCC outputs can support national and regional climate action.
Next Steps: Strengthening Africa’s Role in the IPCC
The LAM2 and the outreach event both produced clear next steps for enhancing Africa’s role in global climate science. Scientists requested greater knowledge brokerage and thematic outreach from the IPCC, while the IPCC Bureau urged African experts to strengthen networks, share research outputs, and contribute context-specific case studies. Establishing sub-regional synthesis centers, mobilizing expert reviewers, and mentoring early-career scientists emerged as priority actions.
The outcomes from the LAM2 and Pan African Regional Outreach Event affirmed AGNES role in bridging science and policy, ensuring Africa’s unique climate challenges and solutions are represented in the IPCC Assessment Reports. Hence, AGNES will remain committed to amplifying the Africa research priorities in the Seventh Assessment Cycle.