ISLAMABAD (PEN) : A groundbreaking global study published in Nature has raised urgent concerns about the accelerating rate at which the world’s glaciers are melting, a development with far-reaching implications for both rising sea levels and the availability of freshwater.
The research, which draws on data collected from both field and satellite measurements, paints a stark picture of glacier loss over the past decade. The findings show a sharp increase in the rate of ice loss, with around 36 percent more ice lost between 2012 and 2023 compared to the previous decade. This accelerated melt is happening faster than scientists had previously predicted, indicating that the impacts of global warming on the world’s glaciers are even more severe than expected.
Michael Zemp, a professor at the University of Zurich and one of the study’s co-authors, expressed shock at the findings, though he acknowledged that such a trend was not entirely unexpected. “This is happening much faster than we thought,” Zemp remarked, adding that the increased loss of glaciers could have a significant impact on future sea levels, potentially surpassing earlier predictions. The study’s conclusions suggest that sea levels may rise more than expected by the end of this century, as glaciers contribute to the volume of water that feeds into the ocean.
Smaller glaciers are particularly vulnerable, with many of them expected to vanish entirely by the end of this century. This poses not only a threat to coastal communities due to rising sea levels, but also a serious risk to freshwater supplies. Zemp highlighted the importance of glaciers as a vital water source, especially in regions like Central Asia and the central Andes, where communities rely heavily on glacial meltwater. “We are facing higher sea-level rise than we expected before,” Zemp told AFP, underscoring the cascading effects of glacier loss on both the environment and human populations.
The study found that since the start of the 21st century, the world’s glaciers have lost about 5 percent of their total volume, though the rate of loss varies by region. For instance, glaciers in Antarctica have experienced a 2 percent reduction, while those in the European Alps have suffered a staggering 40 percent loss of ice volume. On average, the world’s glaciers are losing approximately 273 billion tonnes of ice annually, a quantity equivalent to the total water consumption of the entire global population for 30 years.
Coordinated by the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), the University of Edinburgh, and Earthwave research group, the study provides critical data to help monitor and understand global ice loss. It serves as a comprehensive reference for assessing how glaciers are responding to the effects of global warming, offering insights into the broader implications for the planet.
Experts in the field are gravely concerned about the study’s findings. Professor Martin Siegert, a researcher at the University of Exeter who was not involved in the study, expressed alarm about the accelerating ice loss, particularly in the context of Antarctica and Greenland’s ice sheets. “Ice sheets are now losing mass at a rate six times higher than they were three decades ago,” Siegert warned. “When they change, we stop talking about centimeters and start talking about meters.” This shift could significantly impact global sea levels in ways that are difficult to predict but likely to be catastrophic.
In light of these developments, Zemp has called for urgent action to address the root cause of glacier loss: greenhouse gas emissions. He emphasized that mitigating climate change by reducing emissions is the key to preserving the world’s glaciers. “To save the world’s glaciers, we must reduce emissions,” he stated. “Every tenth of a degree of warming that we can prevent will save lives, save money, and prevent more damage.”
The study is a stark reminder that the effects of global warming are unfolding much faster than anticipated, and the window to mitigate further damage is closing. The loss of glaciers not only accelerates sea level rise but also threatens the livelihoods of millions who depend on the water they provide. The need for immediate, decisive action has never been more pressing.
