Global Glacier Melting Reaches Record Levels, Threatening Water Security and Ecosystems

UN marks first 'World Glacier Day' as experts warn of unprecedented ice loss and its cascading impacts on humanity and the planet.

Glaciers worldwide have lost 9,000 gigatons of ice since 1975, equivalent to a 25-meter-thick ice block the size of Germany, with the past three years seeing the highest loss on record.
Melting glaciers have contributed 18 millimeters to global sea level rise since 2000, increasing risks of flooding and displacement for coastal communities.
The rapid ice loss, driven by human-caused climate change, threatens water supplies for 1.1 billion people in mountain regions and impacts agriculture and industry globally.
Biodiversity is under threat as cold-water species lose habitats and ecosystems are forced to adapt to rising temperatures and reduced glacial water flow.
The UN emphasizes the urgent need for coordinated global action to mitigate glacier loss, which could disrupt critical climate systems like the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).