Climate Emergency: 2025 designated as the International Year of Glaciers

As glaciers melt accelerates at an alarming rate due to climate change, UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation.  

In a bid to overcome the urgent challenges posed by rapid glacier melting, the program aims to raise awareness and garner global efforts to protect these vital "water towers" that supply freshwater to over 2 billion people around the world and their impact on economies and communities.

The initiative focuses on several critical areas to address the challenges posed by glacier loss. It aims to expand global glacier monitoring systems to improve data collection and analysis, as well as develop early warning systems for glacier-related hazards. Additionally, it promotes sustainable water resource management in regions dependent on glaciers and works to preserve cultural heritage and traditional knowledge associated with glacial environments. A key component of the initiative is also engaging youth in glacier preservation efforts and climate action.

"The preservation of glaciers stands as one of humanity's most urgent challenges. These ancient ice formations are not just frozen water – they are the guardians of our planet's climate history, the source of life for billions, and sacred places for many cultures. Their rapid disappearance is a stark reminder that we must act now,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General, UNESCO.

Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General added, “Melting ice and glaciers threaten long-term water security for many millions of people. This international year must be a wake-up call to the world.”

In 2023, glaciers witnessed their highest water loss in more than 50 years, marking the second consecutive year when every glaciated region around the world reported ice loss. According to WMO, glaciers in Switzerland lost 10 percent of their total mass between 2022 and 2023.

Experts believe that glacial melt will reach a new record high, with 2024 confirmed as the hottest year on record, calling out for immediate and decisive action.

Dr Lydia Brito, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO said, “50 UNESCO heritage sites with glaciers represent almost 10 percent of Earth's glacier area. However, a recent study warned that glaciers in one-third of these sites are projected to disappear by 2050.”

According to a study, due to the rapid melting of glaciers in World Heritage sites, one-third glaciers of the 50 UNESCO World Heritage Glaciers sites are likely to disappear by 2050, regardless of efforts to limit temperature increases.

50 UNESCO World Heritage sites represent almost 10% of the Earth’s total glacierized area, including 18,600 glaciers covering around 66,000 km2. They include the highest glacier (next to Mt. Everest), the longest (in Alaska), and the last remaining glaciers in Africa. The study noted that consistent rises in Carbon Dioxide emissions have led these glaciers to retreat at an accelerated rate since 2000. They have been losing 58 billion tons of ice yearly and are responsible for nearly 5% of the observed global sea-level rise.

Snow, permafrost, and glaciers are vital parameters of the climate system and the hydrological cycle. About 70 percent of the world's freshwater is stored as snow or ice, making glaciers crucial to the water supply for millions of people.

The intensity of human-induced global warming's impact on the cryosphere—the part of the planet comprising permafrost (permanently frozen ground), sea ice, glaciers, ice caps (Greenland and Antarctica), seasonal snow, or lake and river ice—has been increasing at alarming levels.

Vanishing Glaciers: Climate emergency

As heatwaves are expected to increase in the region, the frequency and length of extremely hot days and heatwaves during the summer months will also rise. In such a scenario, accelerating glacier melt will aggravate both the direct and indirect impacts of thinning glaciers. The melting of glaciers, snow, and ice leads to a short-term rise in landslides, avalanches, floods, and droughts while posing a long-term threat to the water security of billions of people.

Water Scarcity: The retreat of the glaciers has had direct consequences for the inhabitants, who have been facing water shortages for some years now. Rapid glacier melt over the years has been changing the water availability. As the glacier shrinks, the water supply will diminish and farms, villages, and cities might lose a valuable water source.

GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood): Water from retreating glaciers causes increased risks of flooding by outburst of glacial lakes. UNESCO reports that nearly a thousand of these lakes in Central Asia pose a threat to local populations. On the other hand, regions downstream of glacier-fed rivers are facing water shortages. In the Himalayas, annual glacier runoff is projected to rise until roughly 2050, followed by a steady decline thereafter.

Biodiversity: The most immediate, direct, and well-documented consequence is the threat to biodiversity. Numerous plant species, like mosses and lichens, as well as animal species such as the iconic polar bear, are already struggling due to changes in their environment. However, the impacts extend far beyond glacial ecosystems.

Sea Level Rise: The melting of glaciers is also a key contributor to rising sea levels, which in turn increases coastal erosion and exposes scores of islands with risk of submersion, putting coastal communities at risk. Since 2006, more than half of the sea level rise has been linked to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. The influx of freshwater from Arctic glacier melt is also a key factor in weakening the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the primary ocean current system in the Atlantic. This disruption is likely to have significant effects on both global and local climates throughout the 21st century.

Human Health: Another potential consequence of melting glaciers is the release of pathogens trapped in the ice, which could have unknown impacts on biodiversity and human health. Several viruses, bacteria, and even small organisms have been able to suspend their vital functions for extended periods to survive in extreme environments. There have been instances of species being reanimated after very long periods, up to 750,000 years, spent in glaciers or permafrost.

Road ahead

Glaciers will continue to shrink in nearly all regions of the world  throughout the 21st century, predicted by UN-led IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). As mountain glaciers recede, they are changing the availability and quality of water downstream, impacting aquatic ecosystems and various sectors, including agriculture and hydropower.

The constant retreat of glaciers has raised the need for constant monitoring. The International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025 highlights the critical need for swift, ambitious action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, stabilize the climate, and adopt effective adaptation strategies. For the well-being of future generations, the time to act is now.