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.

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.