How Global Science Supports Our Future Climate

The climate crisis is one of the most pressing challenges of our time; but diverse sources of knowledge may help us navigate it better. This was the thematic focus of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change workshops recently hosted at the University of Reading.

In this live Q&A, Professor Jim Skea (chair of the IPCC) was joined by Rowan Sutton (Met Office), Sarah Honour (Dept. of Energy Security and Net Zero) and Professor Ed Hawkins (University of Reading) to discuss the role of indigenous voices, the withdrawal of the US from climate agreements, and the importance of making climate information accessible for future generations.

This episode was recorded live on February 9, 2026, at the University of Reading.

Find out more about the University of Reading, it's relationship with IPCC and how it has carved out a position at the heart of climate change conversations.

Chapters:

• 02:20 Why the IPCC is looking to involve diverse ‘knowledge systems’
• 04:26 How the UK Government and Met Office work with the IPCC process
• 09:35 What it’s like to be a researcher involved in the IPCC report cycle
•  12:02 How the IPCC has evolved and how it might evolve in the next 40 years
• 21:34 Audience question #1: Impact of the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement
• 24:22 Audience question #2: How is the IPCC actively involving diverse voices?
•  26:35 Audience  question #3: How can young people make a positive impact in combatting climate change?