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

This guide, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in 2019, distils the findings of the IPCC's Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate specifically for decision-makers in South Asia. It details the physical changes occurring in the oceans and high mountain frozen lands, the resulting risks to ecosystems and human livelihoods, and the necessity of integrating mitigation, adaptation, and transformative governance to build regional resilience.

• Human-induced climate change is altering ocean chemistry and temperature, with the oceans absorbing more than 90% of the excess heat in the climate system and 20% to 30% of human-induced carbon dioxide emissions since the 1980s, leading to increased acidification.
• Ocean warming and acidification are destroying coral reefs and other calcium-based species, and are shifting the distribution and abundance of marine life. This is expected to decrease the biomass of marine animals and reduce maximum potential fish catches, particularly in tropical oceans.
• Global sea levels are currently rising at a rate of 3.6 mm per year, which is twice the rate of the 20th century. By 2100, sea levels could rise by 29-59 cm if emissions are sharply reduced, or 61-110 cm if emissions continue to increase at current rates.
• South Asian coastal areas face a 'coastal squeeze' where rising seas and built infrastructure trap ecosystems like mangroves and seagrasses. Low-lying coastal zones currently put 680 million people at risk, a number projected to reach one billion by 2050.
• In high mountain Asia, the retreat of glaciers and thawing permafrost are altering river runoff and increasing hazards such as landslides, snow avalanches, and glacial lake outburst floods. These changes threaten traditional ways of life, including transhumance pastoralism.
• Climate-related hazards in high mountain regions are compounded by social vulnerabilities, including political marginalisation, low incomes, and a lack of weather information. In Pakistan, women are disproportionately affected due to limited access to resources and patriarchal social structures.
• Urgent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is the primary method to limit global warming and the frequency of extreme events. While some cryosphere changes are now inevitable until 2050, current emission pathways will determine the severity of impacts in the latter half of the century.
• Investing in disaster risk reduction and early warning systems is more cost-effective than paying for recovery. For example, a global estimate suggests every dollar invested in disaster risk reduction saves US$2-US$4 in recovery costs.
• Coastal adaptation options range from 'hard' protection (seawalls) and 'soft' sediment-based protection to ecosystem-based adaptation (restoring mangroves). While 'blue carbon' ecosystems provide storm protection and carbon sequestration, they are not a replacement for rapid emission reductions.
• Effective response to ocean and cryosphere changes requires transformative governance that integrates disaster risk management with climate change adaptation and empowers vulnerable groups across administrative boundaries.

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 South Asia? https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/IPCC-Oceans_South-Asia_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 South Asia? 2019. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/IPCC-Oceans_South-Asia_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 South Asia? |date=2019 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/IPCC-Oceans_South-Asia_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 South Asia?}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2019}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/IPCC-Oceans_South-Asia_WEB_0.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }