IPCC and the Deep Sea: A Case for Deeper Knowledge

Lisa A. Levin

doi:10.3389/fclim.2021.720755

Abstract

IPCC reporting culture and structure leads to a failure to highlight potential vulnerabilities and risk in areas where research is largely absent. Nowhere is this more obvious than in treatment of the deep ocean (waters below 200 m), where climate research is in its infancy, but human exploitation of resources is on the rise. Understanding climate-induced changes in deep- sea environments, ecosystems and their services, including carbon cycling and climate regulation, is fundamental to future ocean sustainability and to decisions about active climate remediation.

Highlights

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reporting system for both the assessment reports (AR) and special reports (SR) provide assessment of climate change, its consequences for ecosystems, the implications for humans and possible solutions
The IPCC may need to begin producing parallel inverse assessment reports that shine a light on what we don’t know but need to know and why, to help guide the efforts of science, scientists and science funders in the coming decade. Such an inverse report might identify the deepsea processes that need to be understood and parameters measured to improve climate model predictions and the geographic regions and ecosystems where direct observations would enhance understanding of these processes. It could highlight additional deep-sea research, technological advances and modeling innovations required for management of resource extraction and biodiversity conservation
The IPCC could draw on this massive compilation and synthesis to a greater extent

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reporting system for both the assessment reports (AR) and special reports (SR) provide assessment of climate change, its consequences for ecosystems, the implications for humans and possible solutions. Under the auspices of IPCC Working Group 2 (Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability), I participated as one of many lead authors in preparation of the Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC), as a contributing author for AR5 and as a review editor for AR6. What these reports are not able to do is highlight potential vulnerabilities and risk in areas where research is largely absent. Nowhere is this more obvious than in treatment of the deep ocean (waters below 200 m)

DELVING DEEPER

Findings

DISCUSSION