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| Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate | |
|---|---|
| Title | Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate |
| Author | Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |
| Country | International |
| Language | English |
| Published | 2019 |
| Pages | 1046 |
Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate The report is a multi-author assessment issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that synthesizes peer-reviewed literature on changes to the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Antarctica, Alaska, Iceland and other regions. It informs international processes including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement, and national planning in jurisdictions such as Canada, Australia, Norway, United States and United Kingdom.
The report was prepared under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change during cycles that involved lead authors from institutions including National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, UK Met Office, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Its purpose was to provide policymakers in bodies such as the United Nations General Assembly, European Commission, Pacific Islands Forum, and Arctic Council with an evidence base linking processes in the ocean and cryosphere to outcomes relevant to the Paris Agreement goals, the Sustainable Development Goals, and national statutes like Climate Change Act 2008 (United Kingdom).
Authors reported accelerating trends including sea level rise affecting coastal megacities like New York City, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Lagos; loss of Arctic sea ice and decline of Greenland Ice Sheet mass; glacier retreat in ranges such as the Himalayas, Andes, and Alps; increased marine heatwaves impacting ecosystems exemplified by events off Western Australia and California Current. Projections highlight risks to heritage sites such as Venice and low-lying nations including Marshall Islands and Maldives under scenarios used by IPCC and modeled by centers like Max Planck Institute for Meteorology and Met Office Hadley Centre.
The assessment integrated observational records from platforms including Argo (oceanography), satellite missions like Jason-3, ICESat-2, and expeditions by vessels of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Alfred Wegener Institute, and National Research Council (Canada). Climate projections used scenarios from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project and models developed at institutions such as NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. The report applied expert elicitation methods and uncertainty frameworks consistent with IPCC procedures and standards used in assessments like the Fourth Assessment Report.
Observed warming and acidification of the Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean have driven shifts in distributions of species like Atlantic cod and Pacific salmon, intensified coral bleaching on reefs such as the Great Barrier Reef and in the Coral Triangle, and altered primary productivity impacting fisheries in the Bering Sea and North Sea. Sea level rise and storm surge amplified by changes in Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Current pose hazards to ports such as Rotterdam, Singapore, and Shanghai Port. The report details ecosystem responses from predators such as killer whale populations to zooplankton dynamics influenced by phenomena like El Niño–Southern Oscillation.
Retreat of glaciers in the Himalayas, Patagonia, and Alps threatens freshwater supplies for basins serving populations in India, Peru, and Switzerland. Rapid loss of Arctic sea ice and thawing of permafrost across regions including Siberia, Alaska, and Canada affect infrastructure in communities such as Barrow, Alaska and resource projects near Norilsk. Ice sheet dynamics in Greenland and Antarctica raise long-term sea level commitments with potential implications for the Suez Canal and Netherlands flood defenses, and influence paleoclimate reconstructions used by researchers at institutions like the British Antarctic Survey.
The report links ocean and cryosphere changes to livelihoods in sectors including fisheries in Senegal, tourism in Maldives, and agriculture in Nepal through water supply from mountain glaciers. Vulnerability assessments consider populations in Bangladesh, Philippines, Samoa, and Arctic Indigenous communities such as the Sami people and Inuit whose cultural practices depend on sea ice and permafrost conditions. The analysis intersects with international law and governance concerns addressed by bodies like the International Maritime Organization, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and World Health Organization regarding displacement, food security, and health.
Recommendations emphasize mitigation consistent with scenarios negotiated under the Paris Agreement and adaptation actions including nature-based solutions in coastal zones exemplified by mangrove restoration in Bangladesh and reef rehabilitation in Fiji. Policy instruments referenced include coastal zoning used by Netherlands authorities, disaster risk reduction frameworks promoted by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and financing mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund. Cross-jurisdictional coordination among organizations like the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Food and Agriculture Organization, and regional bodies such as the African Union and Association of Southeast Asian Nations is stressed to reduce risks to communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
Category:Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports