Ocean, Cryosphere and Sea Level Change

This chapter assesses past and projected changes in the ocean, cryosphere and sea level using paleo reconstructions, instrumental observations and model simulations. In the following summary, we update and expand the related assessments from the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC (SR1.5) and the Special Report on Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). Major advances in this chapter since the SROCC include the synthesis of extended and new observations, which allows for improved assessment of past change, processes and budgets for the last century, and the use of a hierarchy of models and emulators, which provide improved projections and uncertainty…