Corinna Schrum speaks at UN panel

Photo: Corinna Schrum

Sea level rise is one of the most severe issues globally. The 21st session of the UN's ICP will focus on this in a virtual format. On the agenda are, for example, so-called plenary sessions, for which the individual delegations had to submit written statements. In addition, there will be discussion panels, virtual panel discussions with experts on two different topics: First, they will speak about the problem of sea level rise in general. About what is important for understanding its impacts and resulting challenges. Second, they speak about international cooperation and coordination to address the problem.

From the German side, the delegation consists of representatives from the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) and from the Bundesumweltministerium (BMU). Corinna Schrum is flanking this delegation as an expert on the panel. Her presentation will focus on the current understanding of sea level rise and its impact, which was assessed 2019 by IPCC`s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a changing Climate (SROCC). This report specifically addresses the topics of climate change in high mountain regions and polar regions, sea level rise, as well as extreme and abrupt changes in the world's oceans.

The IPC has covered topics such as overfishing, marine pollution, coastal protection, piracy, marine ecosystem protection, sustainable ocean development, the oceans as a food source, and climate change in its history of 20 previous meetings. The goal of the IPC is to describe and understand the problems facing the oceans through expert-led communication. This results in recommendations for policy action.