Gloria Dickie

LONDON, (Reuters) – Scientists waited anxiously for Monday’s publication of a disturbing United Nations climate report. However, many were concerned that it might be eclipsed by Russia’s invasion in Ukraine.

The report – described by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres as “an atlas of suffering” – calls for concerted efforts by governments to prepare for a warmer world.

Few could overlook the misery of the Ukrainian sole report author. A botanist described hiding in a Kyiv Bomb Shelter during final line-checking of an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UN) report that was put together over three years.

Yakiv Doukh said to Reuters that battles were taking place outside of the city as well as inside the city. He had spent the night hiding from the capital’s 11th-floor apartment.

Didukh said that people are concerned, but they don’t panic. He works for the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Participants in the IPCC virtual proceedings were rattled by the invasion on Sunday morning. Scientists and political delegates met for the final session, two weeks after negotiating the summary of the report.

The closing ceremony saw the Ukrainian delegation speak this morning. She said that I won’t repeat it because I feel too emotional trying,” Daniela Schmidt (IPCC Lead Author) said at a Sunday briefing.

Schmidt reported that the Ukrainian delegation indicated to IPCC organizers last week that they may withdraw from final document review in the event of an interruption in internet service or power. The Ukrainians were “upset that it will distract from how important our report is.”

According to scientists present at the meeting, the Moscow delegation also apologized for the actions of Russians who were opposed to the conflict.

Hans-Otto Portner is an IPCC co-chair and said that authors had expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian delegation.

Some were worried that their hard-won conclusions and painstaking work would be overlooked.

Debra Roberts said that the IPCC co-chair Debra was living in a “competition for headlines”.

Others pointed out the importance of the report and demanded that attention be paid to it.

Philipus Wester (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Nepal) stated that the lead author said “You’re looking at both the survival and sustainability of humans.”