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last mo.

Global Glacier Melt Reaches Record Levels, UN Warns of Widespread Impacts

The UN declares glacier preservation a 'matter of survival' as accelerated melting threatens freshwater supplies, ecosystems, and global communities.

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A close-up of The Great Aletsch glacier is pictured at Eggishorn mountain, in Fiesch, Switzerland July 31, 2019. Picture taken July 31, 2019. REUTERS/Catherine Muzolf/File Photo
The tongue of the Salmon glacier in an eroded valley in British Columbia, Canada. Credit: Sébastien Lecocq / Alamy Stock Photo
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Overview

  • The past three years (2022-2024) saw the largest glacier mass loss on record, with 450 billion tonnes lost in 2024 alone.
  • Glaciers have lost over 9,000 billion tonnes of ice since 1975, equivalent to an ice block the size of Germany with a thickness of 25 meters.
  • Melting glaciers now threaten the water and food security of 2 billion people, particularly in regions reliant on mountain water sources during dry months.
  • Glacier melt has contributed 18 millimeters to global sea level rise since 2000, increasing the risk of flooding for millions worldwide.
  • The UN's inaugural World Day for Glaciers highlights the urgent need to combat climate change and preserve glaciers, with many at risk of disappearing by the end of the century.