MRI Executive Director Dr. Carolina Adler was among over 100 experts who came together in July to advance preparations for the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate – or SROCC. Synthesis reviews and multiple case studies are still being sought for the assessment process.

The Third SROCC Lead Author Meeting took place 23-28 July 2018 in Lanzhou, China and brought together experts from more than 30 countries to continue their work towards the First Order Draft of SROCC. As a lead author of the chapter focused on changes in high mountain regions, MRI Executive Director Dr. Carolina Adler was among their number. 

The SROCC is one of three special reports that the IPCC, the leading body for assessing the science related to climate change, will be releasing over the next two years. Containing a careful assessment of changes in the ocean and cryosphere – the areas of the planet in which water is found in its solid state as ice or snow – the SROCC report aims to support policymakers in their understanding of the physical and social dimensions of climate change, the risks and challenges we face as a result, and our options for adapting to them.

During this most recent meeting, the draft of the report was developed and refined by addressing the over 12,000 comments provided by experts during the review phase. The final report is due in September 2019.

"We believe this report will help policymakers better understand the changes we are seeing and the risks to lives and livelihoods that may occur with future climate change,” said IPCC Vice-Chair Ko Barrett. 


All SROCC authors in front of Lanzhou Hotel. Photo credit: IPCC.

SUBMIT FOR SROCC: SYNTHESIS REVIEWS & CASE STUDIES STILL NEEDED
A key topic discussed during the July meeting was the ongoing assessment of the evidence of climate change and its impact on the changing cryosphere. Many gaps in the assessment's body of evidence still remain – particularly in terms of studies and peer-reviewed publications that cover human dimensions, such as governance, and nexus topics, such as the effects of a changing cryosphere on energy and water in the mountain space.

The SROCC 'High Mountains' author team would therefore like to remind the mountain research community that publications recently submitted that cover such topics are still being considered for assessment and consideration for SROCC. This is a call to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and make your submissions known to the assessment team. In high demand are 'systematic' and synthesis reviews of existing literature and/or multiple case studies that cover, or at least compare, governance as well as adaptation responses and limits to adaptation from more than one mountain region.

To register your publication contributions, please use this online form. Thank you!