UN Warns of Unprecedented Glacier Loss Due to Climate Change

The UN reports unprecedented glacier loss, noting the past three years have seen record ice mass losses. Since 1975, 9,000 gigatons of ice have been lost. Rising global temperatures threaten glaciers, impacting freshwater resources and increasing flood risks. International cooperation is needed to address these urgent challenges, as discussed at an upcoming UNESCO summit.

The United Nations has reported alarming levels of global glacier melt, indicating that the past three years have witnessed the largest loss of ice mass ever recorded, as stated by UNESCO on Friday. Michael Zemp, the head of the World Glacier Monitoring Service, revealed that since 1975, glaciers have lost approximately 9,000 gigatons of ice, equating to an ice mass the size of Germany with a thickness of 25 meters.

Zemp further noted that five of the last six years have recorded unprecedented ice losses, including an estimated 450 gigatons in 2024 alone. This trend is anticipated to accelerate, with particular concern for regions such as the Arctic, the Alps, South America, and the Tibetan Plateau, as rising global temperatures continue to impact glacier stability.

The retreat of glaciers is already contributing to rising sea levels, posing an enhanced flood risk for millions and jeopardizing freshwater supplies essential for agriculture and hydropower—critical resources for billions of people. It is particularly significant that glaciers and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica together represent around 70% of the world’s freshwater reserves.

These sobering findings come ahead of a summit in Paris organized by UNESCO, in conjunction with the first International Day of Glaciers, where officials aim to urge for coordinated international efforts to safeguard remaining glacier ecosystems.

In conclusion, the United Nations has highlighted the unprecedented loss of glaciers due to climate change, with significant repercussions for global ice mass and freshwater supplies. The trends observed underlined the urgent need for international cooperation to address glacier preservation and mitigate the accelerating risks associated with rising sea levels and climate change.

Original Source: shafaq.com