What glaciers tell us about our planet’s past and future

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Glaciers are the silent guardians of life.
Glaciers maintain the delicate balance of our planet’s fresh water, storing around 70% of the world’s supply. They regulate the climate and sustain ecosystems, making them essential to life as we know it.
Spanning 10% of Earth's land, glaciers are found on every continent, except Australia.
For nearly 2 billion people, glacier meltwater is a lifeline. It provides fresh water, supports food security and sustains livelihoods.
For many Indigenous Peoples, glaciers hold deep significance. They’re sacred, believed to be the dwellings of gods and spirits.
Glaciers are nature’s archives. In their ice layers, they store vital information about our planet’s climate and environment. Some date back as far as 800,000 years.
But like the ice, time is melting away.
Glaciers are shrinking, faster than ever before. This is a result of climate change impacts such as rising temperatures, shorter snow accumulation seasons and increased rainfall.
As glaciers retreat, unique ecosystems that are crucial for sustaining life on Earth are disappearing.
The changes in the cryosphere — the frozen parts of the Earth — are disrupting the water cycle. River currents are being altered, groundwater flows are changing and competition for available water resources is increasing.
And melting glaciers contribute to sea-level rise, adding nearly 2 cm since the beginning of this century. If Antarctica were to melt completely, sea levels could rise by 58 metres, flooding coastlines and displacing millions.
The loss of glaciers is also fuelling extreme weather events, such as more frequent and intense storms. It’s creating new disaster risks, like massive flooding when glacial lakes overflow.
In high-mountain regions, melting glaciers and thawing permafrost are releasing toxins such as mercury, long trapped in the ice and soil, threatening the water we rely on.
But we have the power to freeze the clock. We have the power to combine scientific data with Indigenous knowledge to understand the scale of the problem. To designate glaciers as protected areas, adopt sustainable land-use practices and improve water management.
To develop early warning systems for cryospheric risks. To mobilize funding for adaptation and mitigation efforts. And to involve local communities, especially youth.
Frozen sentinels, glaciers are sounding the alarm about the health of our climate. The clock is ticking. But with collective action, we can preserve these irreplaceable reservoirs of water, heritage and life.