The most comprehensive scientific analysis has revealed that climate change is causing the world’s glaciers to disappear at a rate never before recorded.
Mountain glaciers, which are frozen rivers of ice, serve as a freshwater source for millions of individuals worldwide. If they were to melt wholly, their water would sufficiently elevate global sea levels by 32cm (13in).
However, since the turn of the century, they have lost over 6,500 billion tonnes of ice, or 5%.
Additionally, the rate of dissolving is increasing. Compared to the years 2000-2011, glacier losses have increased by over one-third in the past decade.
The study consolidated over 230 regional estimates from 35 research teams worldwide, bolstering scientists’ confidence in the precise rate at which glaciers vanish and how they will evolve.
Glaciers serve as exceptional indicators of climate change.
They maintain a similar size in a stable climate, accumulating approximately the same amount of ice through snowfall as they lose through thawing.
However, glaciers have been diminishing globally in recent years as temperatures have increased due to human activities, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels.
Between 2000 and 2023, the average annual loss of glaciers outside the main ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica was approximately 270 billion tonnes of ice.
These quantities are difficult to comprehend, so Michael Zemp, the study’s main author and director of the World Glacier Monitoring Service, employs an analogy.
He stated to BBC News that the 270 billion tonnes of ice lost in a year “corresponds to the [water] consumption of the entire global population in 30 years, assuming 3 litres per person and day.”
The rate of change in certain regions has been particularly extreme. For instance, Central Europe has experienced a 39% reduction in glacier ice in just over two decades.
The novelty of this study, which was published in the journal Nature, is not so much the determination that glaciers are vanishing at an increasing rate; this was already known. Rather, its effectiveness is derived from the ability to compile evidence from various research communities.
Numerous methods exist for estimating the rate of change of glaciers, including field measurements and various forms of satellite data. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
For instance, direct measurements of glaciers provide extremely detailed information; however, they are only accessible for a small percentage of the over 200,000 glaciers worldwide.
By integrating these diverse methodologies, scientists can achieve significantly more certainty regarding the situation.
Andy Shepherd, the dean of the Department of Geography and Environment at Northumbria University, who was not involved in the recent study, emphasized the importance of these community estimates, as they provide individuals with the assurance necessary to apply their discoveries.
Future Projections: How Much More Ice Will Glaciers Lose by 2100?
“That includes other climate scientists, governments, and industry, plus of course anyone who is concerned about the impacts of global warming.”
Glaciers require significant time to completely adapt to a changing climate, varying from a few years to several decades, depending on their size.
This implies that they will persist in their melting process in the future.
However, the quantity of ice lost by the end of the century will be significantly influenced by the extent to which humanity continues to release greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere.
The study cautions that this could mean the difference between losing a quarter of the world’s glacier ice if global climate objectives are met and nearly half if warming continues uncontrolled.
“Every tenth of a degree of warming that we can avoid will save some glaciers, and will save us from a lot of damage,” Professor Zemp pointed out.
Prof. Zemp posits that these repercussions extend beyond localized changes to ecosystems and landscapes, or “what occurs on the glacier does not remain there.”
Seasonal meltwater from glaciers serves as a gigantic reservoir, safeguarding populations from drought, and is utilized by hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. However, when glaciers vanish, their water supply is depleted.
Additionally, there are global repercussions. Even seemingly minor increases in global sea level can considerably increase the frequency of coastal flooding caused by the major Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, mountain glaciers, and warmer ocean waters occupying more space.
“Every centimetre of sea-level rise exposes another 2 million people to annual flooding somewhere on our planet,” according to Professor Shepherd.
Since 1900, the global sea level has increased by over 20cm (8in), with approximately half of this increase occurring since the early 1990s. In the years ahead, the rate of increase is anticipated to accelerate.
Salman Ahmad is known for his significant contributions to esteemed publications like the Times of India and the Express Tribune. Salman has carved a niche as a freelance journalist, combining thorough research with engaging reporting.
