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Context:
Glaciers worldwide have lost 9,000 gigatonnes of ice since 1975, equivalent to an ice block the size of Germany with a thickness of 25 metres. 2024 alone saw glaciers losing 450 gigatonnes of mass one of the highest annual losses on record. Five of the last six years have registered record-high glacial mass losses.
Consequences of Glacier Melting
- Melting glaciers are among the largest contributors to sea level rise, endangering millions with increased flood risks.
- Between 2000 and 2023, glacier melt caused 18 millimetres of global sea level rise.
- Every millimetre of sea level rise can expose up to 300,000 people to annual flooding.
- Around 1.1 billion people in mountain communities face immediate impacts due to shrinking glaciers affecting water supply, hydroelectric energy, and agriculture.
Global Concern and Action
- The report was released at the UN headquarters in Geneva alongside the first World Day for Glaciers, calling for global action.
- The Unesco summit in Paris urged stronger initiatives to protect glaciers.
Call for Scientific Advancement
- Stefan Uhlenbrook (WMO) emphasized the need for
- Improved observing systems
- Better forecasts and early warning systems
- Strengthened scientific research on glacier behavior and its impacts
Freshwater Reserves at Risk
- 275,000 glaciers remain globally, along with Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, holding approximately 70% of the world’s freshwater.