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

The document outlines how human-induced climate change is warming and acidifying oceans, causing sea level rise, and melting high mountain frozen lands in Africa. These changes threaten fisheries, coastal infrastructure, and water security. It argues that while adaptation and disaster risk reduction are essential and cost-effective, urgent global greenhouse gas mitigation is the primary way to limit long-term damage.

• Human-induced climate change is increasing ocean temperatures, acidification, and deoxygenation. The oceans have absorbed more than 90% of the excess heat in the climate system and between 20% to 30% of human-induced carbon dioxide emissions since the 1980s.
• Ocean warming and acidification are damaging coral reefs and species with calcium-based shells. Even at 1.5°C of global warming, the diversity and composition of shallow coral reefs are expected to change, reducing their value for food, tourism, and coastal protection.
• Fish stocks are shifting in distribution and biomass is decreasing globally. Tropical oceans, specifically the western Indian Ocean and eastern central Atlantic Ocean, are at high risk of decreased catches by the end of the 21st century, which may increase malnutrition and food insecurity in West Africa.
• The Canary and Benguela Currents, which support productive ecosystems along northwest and southwest Africa, are at risk. Climate change is expected to impact the fisheries and aquaculture benefits these systems provide in the latter half of the century, with high vulnerability in northwest Africa due to population growth and social unrest.
• Global sea levels are rising at 3.6 mm per year, twice the rate of the 20th century. This creates a 'coastal squeeze' where built infrastructure and rising seas trap ecosystems like mangroves and seagrasses. By 2100, sea levels could rise by 29–59 cm under low emissions or 61–110 cm under high emissions.
• Tropical cyclones are becoming more intense, wetter, and more frequent in tropical areas, leading to higher extreme sea levels. These hazards can create cascading impacts and compound risks when combined with social inequality or unsustainable development.
• Africa's high mountain cryosphere, including Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, is melting. This leads to irreversible changes in river runoff, increased hazards such as landslides, and the release of heavy metals like mercury into water supplies.
• Investing in disaster risk reduction and early warning systems is more cost-effective than recovery; a global estimate suggests every dollar invested saves US$2-4 in recovery costs. Ecosystem-based protections, such as wetlands and floodplains, can reduce storm damage by 54–95%.
• Coastal adaptation options range from 'hard' infrastructure (seawalls) and 'soft' sediment-based protection to ecosystem-based adaptation and planned retreat. While 'blue carbon' ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses) provide mitigation and adaptation benefits, they may hit biophysical limits if global warming exceeds 1.5–2°C.
• Effective governance must be integrated across scales and sectors to address the transboundary nature of ocean and cryosphere changes. This includes using the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and improving the management of Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2019). The IPCC’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate What’s in it for Africa? https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/IPCC-Oceans-Africa_WEB_0.pdf

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 Africa? 2019. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/IPCC-Oceans-Africa_WEB_0.pdf.

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 Africa? |date=2019 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/IPCC-Oceans-Africa_WEB_0.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2019ipccs, 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 Africa?}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2019}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/IPCC-Oceans-Africa_WEB_0.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }