On 15 April 2024, the Ambassador at Large, Director of the UNSC Task Force at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andrejs Pildegovičs, and the Ambassador at Large Kārlis Eihenbaums met with the Vice-Chair of the Working Group II (WGII) under the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Dr Zinta Zommers.
During their conversation, the officials affirmed that Latvia’s candidacy for a seat on the UN Security Council for the 2026–2027 term demonstrates a commitment to seeking common solutions for climate security, resilience, sustainability, and development.
Zinta Zommers has arrived in Riga to participate in the first international Scoping Meeting for the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, which is taking place in Riga from 15 to 19 April.
This is the largest UN-level event held in Latvia so far; the meeting is organised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Ministry of Climate and Energy of the Republic of Latvia and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event brings together more than 100 scientists and experts from 65 countries around the world representing Africa, Asia, America, Europe, and Oceania. The IPCC experts are launching work on the first special report on climate change and cities.
The meeting is to feature discussions and plenary sessions in the field of climate, as well as meetings with members of the Saeima (the Latvian Parliament) and the representatives of local governments and planning regions of Latvia. Latvia is currently developing an updated flood risk assessment and interregional risk assessments for the effects of extreme heat or drought. The experts will also go on thematic tours to visit urban forestry sites and learn about the role of green spaces in biodiversity and air quality, cultural heritage issues, urban green architecture, timber architecture and urban “revitalisation”, among many other topics. The latest scientific knowledge on climate change and adaptation, climate change scenarios, as well as the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, which is scheduled to be completed in 2027, will also be presented to the members of the media.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is an organisation that provides regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change. The IPPC issues regular publications of its conclusions on climate change, which is the most authoritative review of the kind used by the European Union, including Latvia, as they develop their positions and policies concerning climate change.
