IPCC workshop on sea level rise and ice sheet instabilities

Among the major long-term consequences of climate change is global sea level rise. A reliable projection is required in order to quantify coastal impacts and to assess the sustainability of coastal settlements around the world. In particular, small islands are already now affected by rising sea level and therefore a reliable estimate of future rates of increase of sea level is crucial. Sea level rise is caused by a number of processes with contributions from: (i) thermal expansion of the ocean, (ii) melting of glaciers and small ice caps, (iii) melting of Greenland and Antarctica, (iv) changes in ocean circulation, and (v) changes in water storage on land. Both the size and the uncertainty of each of these contributions need to be quantified in order to make a useful projection of global sea level rise and its regional expression.

The purpose of this Workshop is to bring together the leading world experts on all issues related to sea level rise, including the field of ice sheet dynamics and ice sheet instabilities, in order to accelerate scientific research that will feed results into the AR5. Experts will discuss the latest results from observations related to sea level rise from oceanographic, cryospheric and paleo records, including information on thermal expansion of the ocean, melting of glaciers and small ice caps, changes in the mass balance of Greenland and Antarctica, changes in ocean circulation, and changes in water storage on land. The Workshop will address the current understanding, and limitations, of ice sheet and ice stream dynamics, including information on their sensitivity to changes in the forcings and on potential irreversibility associated with ice stream or whole ice sheet instabilities and critically evaluate modelling tools used to project sea level rise, the resulting projections, and assess and constrain the associated uncertainties.

At the 31st Session of the IPCC during 26-29 October 2009 in Bali, the proposal by Working Group I to host an IPCC Workshop on Sea Level Rise and Ice Sheet Instabilities was approved. A call for for nominations of experts to participate in the Workshop was issued to Governments and Observer Organizations on 4 December 2009 and closed on 29 January 2010. A Scientific Steering Committee was convened to evaluate the nominations, to assist in the selection process, and to ensure that the participant list reflects the necessary scientific expertise and regional and gender balance. Invitations to participants will be issued in March 2010.