Particle.news
Download on the App Store
9 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

Global Glacier Loss Reaches Record Levels, Threatening Water and Food Security

UNESCO warns that unprecedented glacier melting jeopardizes the livelihoods of 2 billion people and accelerates climate change impacts.

Ice is seen on the Pastoruri glacier in the Peruvian Andes, Peru, May 7, 2024. The shifting climate is also affecting where and how winter sports are carried out. Peru's Pastoruri glacier used to host ski competitions. Now it's a glacier in extinction, with the remaining ice field cordoned off because of the risk of ice fall. REUTERS/Angela Ponce/File Photo
The tongue of the Salmon glacier in an eroded valley in British Columbia, Canada. Credit: Sébastien Lecocq / Alamy Stock Photo
Image
A general view of the melting Lewis Glacier, with a pool of meltwater at its base, in Mount Kenya National Park

Overview

  • Glaciers lost 450 gigatons of ice in 2024 alone, marking the largest annual loss on record, according to a UNESCO report.
  • Retreating glaciers threaten the water supply for 2 billion people and impact agriculture, industry, and ecosystems worldwide.
  • Melting glaciers have contributed 18 millimeters to global sea level rise since 2000, exposing millions to increased flood risks.
  • Regions like Eastern Africa and the Andes have seen drastic glacier shrinkage, with some glaciers projected to disappear by 2030.
  • Experts urge immediate global action to mitigate glacier loss, improve monitoring systems, and support vulnerable mountain communities.