Policy

Who is this page for?

This page is intended for policymakers and decision-makers engaged in climate, ocean, and cryosphere policy at local, regional, European, and international levels involved in long-term climate risk assessment, adaptation planning, and evidence-based policy development related to sea-level rise, ice-sheet dynamics, ocean–climate interactions, climate tipping points, ocean circulation change, particularly across decadal to multi-centennial timescales, and their implications for society and ecosystems. 

More specifically, this page addresses: 

• Policymakers, decision-makers, advisors, public authorities at local, regional, national, and multinational levels, including European institutions and bodies responsible for climate adaptation, environmental protection, ocean governance, and long-term resilience planning.

• Staff and representatives of European and international institutions and initiatives working at the science–policy interface, including those contributing to climate and ocean observing systems, international climate assessments, and major policy frameworks (e.g., European Ocean Pact, EU Ocean Policy, the European Green Deal, IPCC, World Ocean Assessment, and UN climate and ocean processes). 

• Stakeholders engaged in transnational and international cooperation, including multinational ocean observing initiatives, polar research coordination, and climate diplomacy. 

• The wider public and civil society.

What does OCEAN ICE offer?

OCEAN ICE provides robust, policy-relevant scientific evidence on climate change, sea-level rise, and long-term risk planning. Specifically, we offer: 

• Improved projections and reduced uncertainty in key climate metrics of direct relevance to policy, including sea-level rise, ice-sheet stability, and ocean circulation change, across decadal to multi-centennial timescales. 

• Risk-based assessments of climate tipping points, including the potential for rapid ice-sheet melt to trigger non-linear responses in the climate system, such as changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). 

• Long-term planning horizons beyond 2100, extending assessments to 2300 and beyond, enabling policymakers to better understand “locked-in” climate change and the long-term consequences of short-term policy choices. 

• Open and transparent access to high-quality data and knowledge, delivered through established European and international data infrastructures and aligned with FAIR and INSPIRE principles. 

Our scientific evidence for policymakers

• The project has presented its work at major international fora, including IPCC and IPBES, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) and the All-Atlantic Cooperation for Ocean Research and Innovation by highlighting the relevance of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean to European climate risk, human wellbeing, and ecosystems.

• OCEAN ICE has also participated in policy briefings at the European Parliament and Commission on the European Union's polar policy, providing policy-relevant scientific input to support European Union and Member State resilience, infrastructure planning, and decision-making in a changing geopolitical context. OCEAN ICE data is delivered to EMODnet and Copernicus to improve the evidence base for climate and ocean forecasting.

• As part of the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA), OCEAN ICE advances a pole-to-pole scientific perspective on Atlantic Ocean governance. By demonstrating the links among Antarctic and Southern Ocean change, Atlantic circulation, and European climate impacts—and by strengthening sustained observations- OCEAN ICE improves the evidence base for climate and ocean forecasting.

The briefings organised so far and their key messages are summarised at the links below:

• Briefing Nr 1- The Changing Poles: How Antarctic and Arctic Science Helps to Inform and Prepare the EU for Changes in Sea Level Rise and the Global Climate

• Briefing Nr 2 - Polar Regions in a Global Context: Advances and future research priorities for Europe

• Briefing Nr 3 - Future-proofing the EU through Polar Science: A call for sustained research and strategic investment

• (planned) Briefing Nr 4 in collaboration with the EPOC project, on 11 September 2026, from 12:30 to 16:00 at the Natural History Museum in Brussels

Get involved! Contact the coordination team to take part in the briefings or become a contributor!