Geneva: Glaciers worldwide are melting at an unprecedented rate, with the last three years witnessing the highest glacial mass loss ever recorded, according to a UNESCO report released on Friday.
Since 1975, approximately 9,000 gigatons of ice have disappeared—equivalent to an ice block the size of Germany with a thickness of 25 meters, said Michael Zemp, director of the Switzerland-based World Glacier Monitoring Service, during a press conference at the UN headquarters in Geneva.
This accelerating ice loss is evident across regions from the Arctic to the Alps, South America to the Tibetan Plateau. Experts warn that climate change, driven by fossil fuel combustion, is intensifying the crisis, leading to rising sea levels and severe socio-economic and environmental consequences.
The report coincides with a UNESCO summit in Paris, marking the inaugural World Day for Glaciers and calling for urgent global action to preserve these crucial ice formations.
Zemp highlighted that five of the last six years have recorded the most severe losses, with glaciers shedding an alarming 450 gigatons of mass in 2024 alone. This trend positions mountain glaciers among the largest contributors to sea level rise, threatening millions of people with devastating floods and disrupting vital water sources for hydroelectric power and agriculture.
Stefan Uhlenbrook, director of water and cryosphere at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), stated that roughly 275,000 glaciers remain worldwide, along with the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, which together contain about 70% of the world’s freshwater supply.
“We need to advance our scientific knowledge, improve observation systems, enhance forecasting, and develop early warning mechanisms to protect both the planet and its people,” Uhlenbrook emphasized.
Mounting Risks for Mountain Communities
Approximately 1.1 billion people reside in mountain regions, where glacial retreat poses immediate risks, including natural disasters and unstable water sources. The harsh terrain and remote locations make cost-effective solutions particularly challenging.
Rising temperatures are exacerbating droughts in regions dependent on snowpack for freshwater. Additionally, hazards such as avalanches, landslides, flash floods, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are becoming increasingly frequent and severe.
In Peru, a farmer affected by glacial retreat has taken legal action against German energy giant RWE, seeking compensation for flood defenses in proportion to the company’s historical global emissions.
Also Read | New Era for the Olympics: Kirsty Coventry Takes Over as IOC President
“The changes we see in the field are truly heartbreaking,” said glaciologist Heidi Sevestre, secretariat at the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, outside the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Wednesday.
Sevestre, who recently studied the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, warned that glaciers in the region could vanish entirely by 2030.
Cultural and Environmental Impact
Sevestre has worked closely with the indigenous Bakonzo communities in East Africa, who believe a deity called Kitasamba inhabits the glaciers.
“Imagine the deep spiritual connection these communities have with the glaciers and the emotional impact of their disappearance,” she said.
The UNESCO report indicates that glacial melt in East Africa has led to escalating local conflicts over water resources. While the regional impact is relatively small, the collective melting of glaciers worldwide is creating a compounding effect on the planet.
Also Read | Cuba Advances Plan to Install 50+ Solar Parks This Year
Between 2000 and 2023, melting mountain glaciers have contributed to an 18-millimeter rise in global sea levels—about 1 mm per year. According to the World Glacier Monitoring Service, every millimeter of sea level rise exposes up to 300,000 people to annual flooding.
“Billions of people are connected to glaciers, whether they realize it or not. Protecting them will require a global effort,” Sevestre concluded.
