COP27 Video of the Week: “Passed Threshold: Arctic Summer Sea Ice and 2022 State of the Cryosphere Report” with Pam Pearson and Robbie Mallett

The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report noted that due to emissions to-date, summer loss of Arctic sea ice will now inevitably occur at least once, even under very low emissions scenarios; and likely before 2050. Although the crossing of this summer Arctic sea ice threshold can no longer be prevented, urgent emission reductions consistent with the 1.5°C Paris limit, with minimal overshoot, can still prevent the passing of many other cryosphere-related thresholds. This session focused on the latest State of the Cryosphere 2022 report, released during COP27. Reviewed and supported by over 60 leading cryosphere scientists, the report details how a combination of melting polar ice sheets, vanishing glaciers, and thawing permafrost will have rapid, irreversible, and disastrous effects on the Earth’s population. Speakers underscore the importance of reducing emission to slow cryosphere loss and avoid crossing additional thresholds. The full State of the Cryosphere 2022 report can be read at: https://iccinet.org/statecryo22/ This event includes presentations from Pam Pearson, Director of ICCI, and Dr. Robbie Mallett, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Manitoba Centre for Earth Observation Science.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIOq2jJnVEE