The Report of the 3rd WCRP Grand Challenge on Regional Sea Level Change and Coastal Impacts has been published recently.  The meeting was held on 14-15 October 2018 at Boulder, USA. The report could be downloaded via the following link: https://www.wcrp-climate.org/WCRP-publications/2019/WCRP-Report-No2-2019-GC-SL-3.pdf

The GC Sea Level is an integrated interdisciplinary program on sea level research reaching from the global to the regional and coastal scales. In particular, the program aims for close interaction with relevant coastal stakeholders to make sure that results of the proposed scientific research are most useful for coastal zone management, and impacts and adaptation efforts.

This particular meeting focused on progress and future plans of the GC’s individual Work Programmes, with a particular emphasis on the co-design of activities with coastal managers and policy makers. The sea level aspects of the recent 1.5 C as well as the upcoming Oceans and Cryosphere IPCC reports were discussed. New paleoclimate insights were highlighted as well as important activities with partner organizations. From the modelling perspective progress with the WCRP Coupled Model Intercomparison Project were analysed, in particular the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project.

The meeting participants decided on the need for a number of focused workshops, for example on “sea level science for services” to explore what science can provide in relationship to coastal zone management and on the importance of land subsidence on a global scale. It was felt that a Sea Level Conference should be held in 2022/2023, with robust engagement of decision makers, noting the interest from organizations such as the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.

For more information regarding the WCRP GC and CLIVAR Research Foci on Regional Sea Level and Coastal Impacts, please visit the respective webpages:

• WCRP GC on Regional Sea Level and Coastal Impacts: https://www.wcrp-climate.org/gc-sea-level
• CLIVAR Research Foci on Regional Sea Level and Coastal Impacts: http://www.clivar.org/research-foci/sea-level