International Year of Glacier Conservation (2025): Declared by the UN General Assembly on Tajikistan’s initiative(2022) to raise awareness about glacier preservation. A conference will be held in Tajikistan to address this issue.
- Melting Trends:
- Western Tien Shan glaciers (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan) have shrunk by 27% in 20 years.
- Antarctica loses 150 billion tonnes of ice annually, while Greenland’s ice cap melts even faster at 270 billion tonnes annually.
- UNESCO World Heritage site glaciers (50 in total) lose 58 billion tonnes of ice annually, contributing 5% of global sea level rise.
- By 2050, one-third of these glaciers will disappear despite climate efforts.
Regional Impact
- Tajikistan:
- Hosts 14,000 glaciers, of which over 1,000 have melted completely.
- Glaciers contribute 60% of Central Asia’s water resources, vital for drinking water, agriculture, and hydropower.
- Venezuela:
- Became the first modern nation to lose all glaciers.
- Humboldt Glacier (last remaining) downgraded to an ice field (area < 2 hectares).
- Formerly home to 6 glaciers in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida; 5 disappeared by 2011.
- Rapid melting linked to climate change and El Niño events.
Countries at Risk
- Indonesia, Mexico, and Slovenia are predicted to become glacier-free soon due to rising temperatures.
Implications
- Nearly 2 billion people depend on glaciers and seasonal snowmelt for water supply.
- Glacial melt mirrors annual water consumption of France and Spain combined.
- Venezuela’s loss underscores challenges in tropical regions, where protective measures like thermal blankets prove ineffective.
Key Facts
- Critical Water Supply: Glaciers support agriculture, hydropower, and drinking water for millions.
- High Mountain Asia: Record-breaking temperatures and dry conditions are causing significant glacier mass loss, as per WMO.
Conservation initiatives, policy shifts, and international cooperation are essential to mitigate this growing crisis.
Irreversible Threat: Experts warn that glacier loss may be irreversible if immediate protective measures are not taken.
Reference : Down2earth, PlanetSki