KAUST Professors Appointed as Lead Authors for IPCC's Seventh Assessment Report

Jeddah, September 15, 2025, SPA -- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is prominently represented in the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Seventh Assessment Report (AR7). Associate Prof. Sami Al-Ghamdi and Prof. Hussein Hoteit have been selected as lead authors from a pool of 664 scientists across 111 countries, contributing to the report scheduled for release in 2029 and helping shape the next decade of climate policy.

The IPCC, established in 1988, assesses climate-related science and informs international climate policy through comprehensive reports published every five to seven years. The AR7 comprises three working groups: Working Group I (WGI) focuses on physical science, Working Group II (WGII) addresses impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability, and Working Group III (WGIII) examines climate change mitigation. The reports will begin publication in 2028, with full completion in 2029.

Prof. Al-Ghamdi, an expert in sustainable urban development, infrastructure resilience, and environmental systems, will lead Chapter 8 (Asia) in WGII. This chapter will focus on the impacts of climate change across the region, including vulnerabilities, risks, adaptation strategies, and responses to losses and damages.
Prof. Hoteit, a leading authority on energy resources engineering and subsurface carbon management, will lead Chapter 15 (Potentials, Limits, and Risks of Carbon Dioxide Removal - CDR) of WGIII. This chapter will examine the technical, economic, and environmental dimensions of CDR approaches, including their feasibility, risks, scalability, and potential role in achieving net-zero and net-negative emission futures.

Their contributions will provide critical scientific evidence for international climate discussions, solidifying KAUST’s position as a leader in climate, energy, and sustainability research.