November 2, 2026

‘Overshoot in the cryosphere – averting global meltdown’

Exceeding the 1.5°C target is termed ‘overshoot’ and threatens large-scale melting, thawing and loss in the polar oceans and the cryosphere (the areas of the planet with snow, ice and frozen soils), with impacts on the entire planet.

A new report called ‘Overshoot in the cryosphere – averting global meltdown’ from the United Nations and the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI) sets out the global implications of cryosphere loss with overshoot, exploring which ones are locked in and what we can still stop or slow down.  It argues that in many cases these will be irreversible on timescales relevant to human society, and may even exceed the limits of adaptation.  It also challenges the idea that overshoot to 2°C, 2.5°C or even 3°C and above is manageable, or even preferable to the costs of urgent mitigation.

Speakers included:

Dr James Kirkham, Chief Science Advisor, International Cryosphere Climate Initiative

Prof Chris Stokes, Glaciologist at Durham University

Prof Matthew England, Professor of Oceanography at the University of New South Wales

Dr Chen Zhao, Senior Research Fellow in Ice Sheet Modelling at the University of Tasmania