At its 43rd Session (Nairobi, Kenya, 11 – 13 April 2016), the IPCC Panel decided to prepare a special report on climate change and the oceans and the cryosphere.
The scoping meeting that prepared the draft outline for the report was held on 6 – 9 December 2016 in Monaco.
During its 45th Session (Guadalajara, Mexico, 28 – 31 March 2017), the IPCC Panel approved the outline of the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). The report will be finalized in September 2019.
The SROCC is being developed under the joint scientific leadership of Working Groups I and II with support from the WGII Technical Support Unit.
Timeline
| First Lead Author Meeting | 2-6 October | 2017 |
| Internal Draft submitted to TSU | 1 December | 2017 |
| TSU compile Internal Draft | 4-8 December | 2017 |
| Internal Review | 11 December-19 January 2018 | 2017-18 |
| TSU send compiled review comments to CLAs | 26 January | 2018 |
| Second Lead Author Meeting | 12-16 Feburary | 2018 |
| First Order Draft submitted to TSU | 20 April | 2018 |
| TSU compile First Order Draft | 23-30 April | 2018 |
| Expert Review of First Order Draft | 4 May-29 June | 2018 |
| TSU send compiled review comments to CLAs | 6 July | 2018 |
| Third Lead Author Meeting | 23-28 July | 2018 |
| Cut-off date for submitted papers | 15 October | 2018 |
| Second Order Draft submitted to TSU | 19 October | 2018 |
| TSU compile Second Order Draft | 22 October-12 November | 2018 |
| Expert and Government Review of Second Order Draft | 16 November-11 January 2019 | 2018-19 |
| TSU send compiled review comments to CLAs | 18 January | 2019 |
| Fourth Lead Author Meeting | 4-9 March | 2019 |
| Cut-off date for accepted papers | 15 May | 2019 |
| Final Draft submitted to TSU | 31 May | 2019 |
| TSU compile Final Draft | 3-10 June | 2019 |
| Final government review | 14 June-9 August | 2019 |
| 51st Session of the IPCC: Approval of the Summary for Policymakers, accepting the underlying Report | 16-20 September | 2019 |
Download the SROCC timeline.
Authors and Review Editors
A call for nomination of authors was sent to governments, observer organizations and IPCC Bureau Members on 5 April 2017. They were asked to submit their nominations via their Focal Points by Wednesday, 17 May 2017 (midnight CEST) using the online portal for submiting nominations.
The IPCC selected the author teams that are now preparing the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). The selected experts took on roles of Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors – who draft each individual chapter – and Review Editors, who ensure that comments by experts and governments are given appropriate consideration as the report develops. The teams are working together to produce the Special Report, set to be finalized in September 2019.
The full list of SROCC Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors and Review Editors is available on the author database.
Statistics about author nominations can be accessed on the public portal.
SROCC news
Press release: Registration opens for Expert and Government Reviews of the Second Order Drafts of two IPCC Special Reports
Press release: IPCC authors meet in China to develop ocean and cryosphere report
Press release: IPCC authors meet in Ecuador to develop ocean and cryosphere report
Press release: IPCC holds First Lead Author Meeting in Fiji for Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
Press release: Authors for Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate selected
Scoping
About 100 experts from 40 countries met on 6 – 9 December 2016 in Monaco and prepared a draft outline of the Special Report on climate change and the oceans and the cryosphere. The draft was considered by the Panel during its 45th Session at the end of March 2017. All the details of the scoping meeting are available in the scoping meeting report.
- Adopted outline
- Scoping meeting report (IPCC-XLV/INF. 2)
- Scoping meeting programme
- Scientific Steering Committe
- List of participants
- List of expertise
- List of experts invited to participate in the scoping meeting
Pre-Scoping
The Scientific Steering Committee for the scoping of the Special Report on climate change and the oceans and the cryosphere circulated a questionnaire to IPCC Focal Points and Observer Organizations on 7 October 2016 with a closing date for responses of 7 November 2016. A total number of 44 pre-scoping questionnaire responses were submitted, with 28 submissions from developed countries and 16 from developing countries or economies on transition. More information on the results of the questionaire is available in the report of the scoping meeting here.
Relevant documents
SROCC decision outline from IPCC/XLV-2 – Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Products, Outline of the Special Report on climate change and oceans and the cryosphere
IPCC-XLV/Doc. 6 – Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Products – Outline of the Special Report on climate change and oceans and the cryosphere
IPCC-XLV/INF. 2 – Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Products – Outline of the Special Report on climate change and oceans and the cryosphere
IPCC-XLIII/INF. 7: Special Reports – Proposed themes for Special Reports during the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) cycle
IPCC-XLIII/INF. 8: Special Reports Commentary from the Co-chairs of Working Groups I, II and III on each of the proposals for Special Reports contained in document IPCC-XLIII/INF. 7
IPCC-XLIII/INF. 9: Special Reports – Commentary from the Co-Chairs of Working Groups I, II and III on clusters of proposals for Special Reports contained in document IPCC-XLIII/INF. 7
IPCC-XLIII/INF. 19: Sixth Assessment Report Products – Information document