VUB plays key role in upcoming UN climate report

Frans Steenhoudt (VUB Press)
6 days ago
2 min read

Four researchers with VUB ties contribute to the seventh IPCC report

When world leaders meet in November at the UN Climate Summit in Brazil, the spotlight will once again fall on the scientific foundation of global climate policy: the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The next edition — the seventh IPCC report, to be released in 2028, will feature a notably strong Brussels presence. Four researchers with ties to the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) are part of the international author team, the only Belgians among them.

“The IPCC doesn’t conduct research itself but compiles and evaluates the latest scientific insights,” explains Professor Harry Zekollari, glaciologist at VUB’s Department of Water and Climate. “We provide a comprehensive overview of what science currently knows about the climate. The kick-off takes place later this year in Paris, and the final version is expected by 2027.”

Zekollari, an expert on glacial melt and rising sea levels, contributes to the IPCC’s cryosphere chapter, covering everything related to ice, from glaciers to permafrost. His research shows that by 2100, approximately a quarter of global glacier mass will disappear under limited warming, and up to half under higher temperature scenarios. “We’re also studying overshoot scenarios, where temperatures temporarily rise above 1.5°C before stabilizing again. The question is: how reversible is the climate system at that point?”

Although the report remains strictly scientific, Zekollari stresses that the social urgency cannot be ignored. “The fossil fuel industry has long known the impact of CO₂ emissions, yet continues to delay the transition. The science is clear: doing nothing will be far more costly than taking action.”

Alongside Zekollari, Dr. Chris Smith, Professor David De Vleesschouwer, and Professor Joeri Rogelj also contribute to the report. Their involvement underscores both the strong international standing of VUB’s climate research and the university’s broader mission: Science for the people, science for the planet.