January/February: International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation
The International Year of Glaciers 2025, spearheaded by WMO and UNESCO at the WMO headquarters in Geneva, officially commenced on January 21.
During the conference, the Advisory Board introduced four Task Forces:
- TF-1: Global Campaign for the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025
- TF-2: International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation, Regional Workshops, and Capacity Building
- TF-3: Research and Monitoring Initiatives
- TF-4: Policy Advocacy, Partnerships, and Resource Mobilization
Key issues highlighted included the dwindling of water reservoirs globally, impacts on ecosystems and agriculture, challenges of melting permafrost, and rising sea levels.
Participants concurred that we must recognize the absence of a flexible timetable for glacial melt in the future. Enhanced and expanded monitoring, coupled with more scientific research, is imperative. Glaciers are one of our most vital resources.
A memorable quote from the launch, echoed multiple times, was: “Glaciers don’t believe in science; they just melt.” (Professor John Pomeroy, University of Saskatchewan, Canada)
To emphasize the urgency of immediate action, here are some key facts about the Himalayan region, which boasts the third largest glacier deposits after the North and South Poles. Scientists refer to it as the “Third Pole.” This region is home to 46,000 glaciers and vast areas of permafrost, stretching from Afghanistan to Myanmar.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Nepal has conducted the most comprehensive and accurate assessment of the impending effects of glacier melt in the high mountains of Asia. ICIMOD warns that the threats are becoming increasingly complex and devastating. If no action is taken, it is projected that 80% of the current glacier volume will melt by 2100. The already observable effects on local communities will worsen significantly, including landslides, floods, and crop losses, leading to poverty and damage to cultural heritage and infrastructure.
We must act now: https://www.un-glaciers.org/en/get-involved
