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World climate reports need more policy-relevance

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07 May, 2025

This post was originally published on Factory Magazin

In the article The IPCC at a Crossroads: Opportunities for Reform the authors call on the IPCC to engage in a fundamental reform. Now published in Science, the article was written by Ottmar Edenhofer, Director of the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC); MCC working group leader Governance Christian Flachsland; Carlo Carraro (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei); Charles Kolstad (Stanford University); and Robert Stavins and Robert Stowe (both Harvard University). “To remain policy-relevant, the IPCC needs to shift focus and increasingly address response options to climate change,” they write. Moreover, “Focusing the initial scoping process on identifying policy-maker questions that the Assessment Report will respond to (rather than unspecified broad topics) could increase its relevance and usefulness.”

The authors advocate that the Panel respond with shorter and more targeted reports to the expressed needs of politics. The costs, benefits and risks of political decisions should be more clearly analyzed and evaluated, as well as the success of climate policies. For this, it is necessary, they argue, to explore adaptation and mitigation measures at the international, national and city levels. However, such reports, although more relevant for decision-makers, “could be difficult for governments to accept” since governments may fear that they could weaken their respective positions in international negotiations. “All the while, a realistic diagnosis is in the best interest of decision-makers, as is the knowledge of the possible solutions”, says Edenhofer.

The IPCC is currently at a crossroads: From politics and from environmental organizations, the demands for a greater policy relevance and flexibility of the IPCC are becoming increasingly loud. The Panel should be able to offer answers to specific questions regarding policy options more quickly. Yet, just this spring the IPCC had decided to continue submitting its Assessment Reports only once every five to seven years. Only special topics are to be processed at shorter intervals. From October 5 to 8, the IPCC will meet in Dubrovnik, this time to elect, by secret ballot, its new president and the co-chairs of the three working groups. The new management team will then address reform proposals for the IPCC.

In the Science article, the authors emphasize the key function of the IPCC as an interface between climate science and politics. Yet there is room for improvement in the way in which the Panel informs policy of the various paths toward climate change adaptation and mitigation, be it at the regional, national or state levels. The article also says that “IPCC reports could also develop better understanding and assessment of climate impacts, drivers of greenhouse gas emissions, and policy options at subglobal levels.”

Edenhofer, who is also Chief Economist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), and his colleagues point out that the reason why the world climate reports to date commanded such a high degree of authority is largely due to the fact that in their respective Summary for Policymakers every single word had to be accepted by all national governments. However, while such a consensus is of great value in particular with a view to international climate policy, it could also lead to a “dilution of the key messages”. The authors of the article propose increasing the importance of the technical summaries, which have so far been written solely by scientists. “Renaming them ‘executive summaries’ and engaging expert communicators could make them more accessible to policy-makers and the public.”

The authors also criticize the considerable time and travel expenses incurred at the last meetings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate. They write: “At the least, the IPCC should consider reducing the number and length of lead author meetings and making greater use of remote collaboration.”

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Urban 'placemaking' focus for $85m recreation centre

Urban 'placemaking' focus for $85m recreation centre

Sydney developer Billbergia Group has announced the Rhodes Recreation Centre — an $85 million, 9200 m2 multi-purpose community hub in Sydney’s Inner West.

Located at 6 Gauthorpe St and designed by architectural firm SJB, the recreation centre is in a three-level podium building beneath two high-rise residential towers — the 48-level Peake and 43-level Oasis. Together, they form stage two of the developer’s Rhodes Central Masterplan — a $3 billion, three-stage town centre project.

The Rhodes Recreation Centre was delivered under a $97 million Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) between the developer and City of Canada Bay Council. It will be handed over to council next month and is set to open later this year. Once complete, the masterplan will have delivered 25,000 m2 of dedicated public amenity, including retail, community facilities and open space.

With the NSW Government’s housing reforms set to address the housing shortage, the recreation centre will reflect the importance of ‘placemaking’ — a collaborative approach to designing and managing public spaces that enhances community wellbeing and fosters connections between people and their environment — in planning new urban communities.

It also presents a pathway for public and private sectors to collaborate and create social infrastructure while increasing housing supply in fast-growing suburbs.

The recreation centre is set to add vibrancy and pedestrian activity to the local streetscape, providing a diverse range of facilities that enhance the livability of the evolving suburb. These community amenities include two full-sized indoor sports courts, a gymnastics centre, a 70-place childcare centre, a community lounge, allied health services, and bookable spaces for local groups and events. It also provides a gym with cardio equipment, weights, group fitness rooms, a creche and an outdoor terrace, alongside a range of sustainability features.

Facilities at the Rhodes Recreation Centre. Images supplied.

“Rhodes Recreation Centre is the community heart of our high-density TOD development, bringing to life Billbergia’s vision for a future-focused, livable urban environment that prioritises amenity, not just density,” said Saul Moran, Development Director – Planning and Design at Billbergia.

The amenities within the two residential towers include a swimming pool, spa, sauna, children’s play area, library and theatre rooms. Pedestrian connections and through-site links provide access to Rhodes railway station and the Homebush Bay waterfront.

“The Rhodes Recreation Centre stands as a benchmark in successful public–private collaboration. Through a VPA with Canada Bay Council, we’ve created a pathway to unlock additional housing supply while delivering significant, lasting community infrastructure. It’s a clear demonstration of how thoughtful public and private partnerships can shape vibrant, livable neighbourhoods,” Moran said.

Located adjacent to Rhodes railway station, stage one of Billbergia’s Rhodes Central Masterplan was completed in 2021 and included the 13,000 m2 Rhodes Central Shopping Centre, with convenience retail, a Woolworths supermarket, medical facilities and the Bamboo Lane dining precinct.

Other previous projects include the 1.2 ha Phoenix Park in Rhodes, the $63 million Bennelong Bridge, the popular Baylink Shuttle service, the 3500 m2 Wentworth Point Community Centre and Library, and the Wentworth Point Pop-Up Town Square.

Billbergia’s ongoing focus on placemaking and social infrastructure also includes the $8.4 million delivery of a library at its mixed-tenure development, Arncliffe Central, in Sydney’s south. There is the potential for 75% of Arncliffe Central’s dwellings to be dedicated to social, affordable and essential worker rental housing, along with 3400 m2 allocated to childcare, convenience retail and cafes, and a 4000 m2 park with play space for both residents and the broader community.

Top image caption: The Rhodes Recreation Centre location with two planned residential towers, Peake and Oasis. Image supplied.

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