Lives At Peril With Glaciers Vanishing At Record Pace
Photo: Reuters
NEW DELHI (ANI): The world’s glaciers are disappearing at an alarming rate, with five of the past six years witnessing the fastest retreat on record. The first-ever World Day for Glaciers, observed earlier this month on March 21, served as a stark reminder of this crisis.
Between 2022 and 2024, glaciers suffered their largest three-year mass loss ever, raising concerns about water shortages, rising sea levels, and increasing natural disasters, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS).
Experts warn that many glaciers—once considered “eternal ice”—may not survive the 21st century.
Glaciers serve as the planet’s “water towers,” storing fresh water that sustains millions, especially in high-mountain regions. Their depletion threatens water supplies for hundreds of millions who rely on glacier-fed rivers, particularly in dry months. While increased meltwater can temporarily boost river flows, the long-term consequences are devastating—eventually, these critical freshwater sources will shrink or disappear entirely.
Since 1975, glaciers worldwide have lost more than 9,000 billion tons of ice, equivalent to a 25-meter-thick ice sheet covering Germany. The 2024 hydrological year marked the third consecutive year in which all 19 monitored glacier regions experienced net ice loss.
“This level of glacier loss is unprecedented,” said Michael Zemp, Director of WGMS. “We are witnessing entire ecosystems change before our eyes. If current trends persist, glaciers in Western Canada, the USA, Scandinavia, Central Europe, the Caucasus, New Zealand, and even the Tropics will not survive this century.”
Glacier melt is now the second-largest contributor to global sea-level rise, after ocean warming. Between 2000 and 2023, glaciers lost 5% of their remaining ice, with Central Europe seeing nearly 40% of its glaciers vanish.
With global temperatures rising, the situation is worsening. Seven of the ten worst years for glacier mass loss have occurred since 2016.
Recognizing the urgency, the United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers Preservation. Supported by UNESCO, WMO, and over 200 organizations from 35 countries, the initiative aims to raise awareness about glaciers’ crucial role in the climate system and freshwater supply.
To mark the occasion, the WGMS introduced the Glacier of the Year award, with South Cascade Glacier in Washington, US, as its first recipient. Monitored continuously since 1952, it provides one of the longest records of glacier mass balance in the Western Hemisphere.
“This isn’t just about preserving landscapes; it’s about safeguarding livelihoods, economies, and ecosystems,” one person said. “Glaciers may seem distant, but their loss will be felt worldwide.”
