Swiss glaciers, once a symbol of the Alps’ enduring beauty, are rapidly vanishing, with their volume shrinking by 10% between 2022 and 2023 alone. A September 2023 study by the Swiss Academy of Sciences paints a bleak picture of the ongoing glacial retreat, a process that is accelerating far faster than many anticipated. In fact, experts claim that Swiss glaciers have melted more in the last two years than in the entire 30-year period between 1960 and 1990.
“How many glaciers will still exist tomorrow?” once an almost absurd question, is now one with a sobering answer, say scientists. The rapid loss of ice is not limited to Switzerland, but is a global phenomenon, threatening ecosystems, water supplies, and even human health.
Glaciers, which cover about 10% of Earth’s surface, are melting worldwide at an alarming rate. In the tropical Andes, UNESCO reports that up to 97% of glacial mass could disappear by the year 2100. Meanwhile, the last glacier in Venezuela, La Corona, has already vanished, and glaciers on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania are expected to be gone by 2050.
In Central Asia, glaciers in the Tian Shan and Pamir mountain ranges have lost 30% of their mass over the past six decades.
The accelerated melting is being driven by rising global temperatures and low snowfall, exacerbating the effects of climate change. While the glaciers’ loss threatens biodiversity — including species like polar bears — the consequences reach far beyond the ice fields. Glaciers play a crucial role in the planet’s hydrological cycle, serving as vital freshwater reservoirs for millions of people. They also help regulate global sea levels, and their rapid melt is contributing to rising seas, endangering coastal communities.
“Melting glaciers pose direct risks, such as increased flooding from glacial lakes,” said UNESCO. Nearly a thousand such lakes in Central Asia are considered dangerous due to the risk of sudden outbursts. In some areas, river systems fed by glaciers are running dry, further exacerbating water shortages.
The melting also disrupts climate patterns. Glacial runoff contributes to weakening the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a crucial ocean current system that regulates climate. The disruption of this system could have severe global impacts.
Perhaps most alarming, however, is the potential release of pathogens trapped in ancient ice. Scientists fear that viruses and bacteria, dormant for thousands of years, could re-emerge as glaciers melt, with unknown consequences for ecosystems and human health.
Amid the growing crisis, the United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, an initiative aimed at raising awareness and spurring action to curb the environmental damage. The most effective way to slow the loss of glaciers, experts agree, is to cut greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, in line with the Paris Agreement.
Glaciers also hold deep cultural significance for many indigenous peoples. In New Zealand, the Franz-Josef Glacier is known as “Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere,” or “the tears of Hine Hukatere,” a name steeped in Māori legend. In Peru, the Lord of Qoyllurrit’i pilgrimage to a sacred glacier is no longer possible due to the ice’s rapid retreat.
While some view the trend of “last chance tourism” — visiting disappearing natural wonders — as a way to witness the loss firsthand, it has only contributed to further ecological degradation. Experts stress that the real solution lies in increasing awareness and education, as well as urgent climate action.
