World Glaciers Day 2025: los glaciers They are the icy centinelas of nature, vast ice and snow rivers that sculpt the earth, silent witnesses of the passage of time and the changing rhythms of our planet. Essential for the Earth’s ecosystem, act as critical freshwater reserves and planet’s health indicators.
They are also those who provide water to millions of people, regulate sea levels and support biodiversity.
However, these ice and snow giants are under threat. The increase in global temperatures is causing an alarming setback of glaciers, which generates water shortage, increased sea level and a probable increase in natural disasters such as floods or landslides.
These changes in cascade endanger ecosystems, human media and economies worldwide. To address this urgent challenge, it is essential to take ambitious measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Los glaciers They are great ice masses that accumulate in certain areas of great elevation, being above the level of perpetual snows. They are also found in polar regions, and one of its characteristics is that they slowly descend to lower levels, as if they were an ice river.
He Liquid water of glaciers can come from two sources: directly from rain or snow fusion or ice. The internal hydrological system of a glacier is extremely complex, varying from percolation places, which is a slow step of fluids through porous materials to tunnel systems, cracks and caves.
The most recent snow becomes a granulated snow called Neviza and finally On glacial ice, through a complicated process called diagnosisas a direct consequence of the pressure of the upper layers over the lower ones and the changes in temperatures.
World Glaciers Day 2025
Los glaciers They are essential for provide fresh water to more than 2000 million people worldwide. These depend on the snow and the ice of the mountains for the replenishment necessary to “maintain ecosystems, agriculture, energy, industry and drinking water,” said John Pomeroy, co -president of the Advisory Council.
Glaciers alarmingly go back
The preservation of glaciers is relevant to environmental sustainability, economic stability, and the safeguarding of cultural services and subsistence means.
Glaciers are often qualified as the “towers or water tanks in the world” because they supply fresh water to more than half of humanity and They store around 70% of this. These ice formations cover approximately 700,000 km² of the earth.
However, These reserves are going back up due to climate change. “The OMM recently confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year ever registered and has launched repeated red alerts on the state of our climate,” said Celeste Saulo, general secretary of the OMM
In addition, according to him Intergovernmental group of experts on climate changeglaciers are expected to continue decreasing in almost all regions of the world throughout the 21st century. Saul explained that “in 2023, glaciers suffered the greatest loss of mass in the five decades of records. It was the second consecutive year in which all regions of the world with glaciers recorded ice losses. The thaw of glaciers threatens long -term water security of many millions of people.”
Long -term losses, short -term hazards
The thaw of glaciers, snow and ice translates into a short -term increase in Earth detachments, avalanches, floods and droughts. But in the long term, they present a threat to water supply safety of billions of people.
As the mountain glaciers go back, the availability and quality of the water downstream is altered, which presents consequences for aquatic ecosystems, and various sectors such as agriculture and hydroelectric energy.
Key initiatives and serious global impact
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Year of the preservation of glaciers in December 2022 and established March 21 as World Glacier Day. Your goal is Increase awareness Regarding the role played by glaciers, snow and ice in the climate system, as well as the long -range repercussions of the rapid thaw of glaciers, and their effects on economies and communities.
“We trust that this initiative mobilizes the world community, inspires the action and promoting the necessary policies and solutions to Protect these invaluable natural resources”, Said Bahodur Sheralizoda, president of the Committee for the Protection of the Environment of Tayikistan.
This initiative focuses on various areas, which WHO has described as “criticism.” First, it seeks to expand world glacier surveillance systems to improve data collection and analysis. In addition, it is expected Develop early risk alert systems related to glaciers and promote the sustainable management of water resources in the regions dependent on them. Another objective of this initiative is to preserve cultural heritage and traditional knowledge related to glacier environments and involve young people in preservation efforts.
Glaciers represent frozen time capsules that contain irreplaceable archives of human, environmental and climatic historywhich provide scientists invaluable data on historical climatic patterns, atmospheric composition and even human activity over thousands of years. The disappearance of these, threatens not only water safety, but also the loss of unique ecosystems and biodiversity that has evolved in these specialized environments.
Sacred spaces for cultural heritage
For the indigenous peoples of Asia, Latin America, the Pacific and East Africa, glaciers have a deep cultural and spiritual significance. These are often considered sacred and dwelling spaces of deities. The Loss of ice formations would mean the disappearance of fundamental places for cultural heritage and the spiritual practices that have been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.