The IPCC’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate: What’s in it for South Asia?

This guide introduces a publication by CDKN, ODI, SSN, and ICLEI that distils findings from the IPCC's September 2019 Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate specifically for the South Asia region.

• The IPCC's Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, published in September 2019, was developed by over 100 scientists from more than 30 countries to assess the physical science basis and impacts of climate change on ocean, coastal, polar, and mountain ecosystems, as well as the human communities relying on them.
• Global populations are highly exposed to ocean and cryosphere changes; approximately 680 million people currently live in low-lying coastal zones, a figure expected to exceed one billion by 2050, while roughly 670 million people, including Indigenous peoples, reside in high mountain regions.
• The CDKN publication highlights several critical issues for South Asia, including the impact of human-driven changes to ocean temperature and chemistry on marine life and people, the increasing effect of sea level rise and climate hazards, and the societal implications of changes to frozen lands in high mountain Asia.
• To address these risks, the guide emphasizes that mitigating climate change is the most effective way to limit changes in the oceans and cryosphere, noting that early action is more cost-effective than addressing future damages and that future-proofing coastal development is essential.
• Effective response requires integrated environmental governance and management across different scales that addresses social issues, alongside critical investments in capacity building, education, and communications.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2020). The IPCC’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate: What’s in it for South Asia? https://cdkn.org/resource/guide-the-ipccs-special-report-on-the-ocean-and-cryosphere-in-a-changing-climate-whats-in-it-for-south-asia

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. The IPCC’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate: What’s in it for South Asia? 2020. https://cdkn.org/resource/guide-the-ipccs-special-report-on-the-ocean-and-cryosphere-in-a-changing-climate-whats-in-it-for-south-asia.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=The IPCC’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate: What’s in it for South Asia? |date=16 January 2020 |url=https://cdkn.org/resource/guide-the-ipccs-special-report-on-the-ocean-and-cryosphere-in-a-changing-climate-whats-in-it-for-south-asia |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2020ipccs, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{The IPCC’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate: What’s in it for South Asia?}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2020}, month = jan, url = {https://cdkn.org/resource/guide-the-ipccs-special-report-on-the-ocean-and-cryosphere-in-a-changing-climate-whats-in-it-for-south-asia}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }