Qin Dahe, also co-chair of the working group, said: «As the ocean warm, and
glaciers and ice sheets reduce, global mean sea level will continue to rise, but at a faster rate than we have experienced over the past 40 years.»
The observed effects of cryosphere reduction include modification of river regimes due to enhanced glacial melt, snowmelt advance
and enhanced winter base flow; formation of thermokarst terrain
and disappearance of surface lakes in thawing permafrost; decrease in potential travel days of vehicles over frozen roads in the Arctic; enhanced potential for
glacier hazards
and slope instability due to mechanical weakening driven by
ice and permafrost melting; regional ocean freshening; sea - level rise due to
glacier and ice sheet shrinkage; biotic colonisation
and faunal changes in deglaciated terrain; changes in freshwater
and marine ecosystems affected by lake -
ice and sea -
ice reduction; changes in livelihoods;
reduced tourism activities related to skiing,
ice climbing
and scenic activities in cryospheric areas affected by degradation;
and increased ease of ship transportation in the Arctic.