Brief Context
Context According to a new study published in the journal Science, If the world gets warmer by 2.7°C due to the current trajectory of climate policies, only 24% of the world’s present-day glaciers will remain. What are glaciers? They are essentially large and thick masses of ice that are formed on land due to the accumulation of snow over centuries.
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Syllabus: GS3/ Environment
Context
- According to a new study published in the journal Science, If the world gets warmer by 2.7°C due to the current trajectory of climate policies, only 24% of the world’s present-day glaciers will remain.
What are glaciers?
- They are essentially large and thick masses of ice that are formed on land due to the accumulation of snow over centuries.
- They hold 70 per cent of the Earth’s freshwater, currently encompassing around 10 percent of the planet’s land area.
Key findings of the study
- Massive Glacier Loss: The study cautioned that even if temperatures stopped rising today, the world’s glaciers would still lose 39% of their mass, compared to 2020 levels, and that would lead to a sea level rise of 113 mm.
- Disproportionate Impact on Some Regions: Glaciers in Scandinavia, the Rockies in Western Canada and the US, and the European Alps are particularly vulnerable.
- A recent glacier collapse in Blatten, Switzerland, which buried parts of a village, highlights this vulnerability.
- High Sensitivity to Incremental Warming: For every 0.1°C increase in global temperature between 1.5°C and 3°C, there is a 2% global glacier loss, with steeper regional impacts.
- Hindu Kush Himalaya Under Threat: The study estimates that only 25% of ice will remain in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region at 2°C warming. This region feeds key river systems– Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra –vital to South Asia.
| Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) – The HKH mountains extend around 3,500 km over eight countries — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Pakistan. – These mountains are also called the “water towers of Asia” because they are the origins of 10 crucial river systems on the continent — Amu Darya, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween, Mekong, Yangtse, Yellow river, and Tarim. 1. These river basins provide water to almost one-fourth of the world’s population and are a significant freshwater source for 240 million people in the HKH region. |
Impacts of Glaciers loss
- Water Security in South Asia: Himalayan glaciers serve as perennial sources for India’s major rivers.
- Their depletion threatens agricultural output, drinking water supplies, and hydroelectric generation, particularly during the dry season.
- Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Risk: The glacier melt contributes to global sea-level rise, endangering coastal populations, particularly in low-lying nations like the Maldives and coastal Indian cities.
- Ecosystem Disruption: Glacial melt impacts mountain biodiversity, alpine ecosystems, and can lead to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
- Socioeconomic Consequences: Loss of water sources may lead to climate-induced migration, conflict over resources, and increased poverty in already vulnerable regions.
Global Initiatives to conserve glaciers
- Paris Agreement 2015, aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels.
- High Mountain Summit (WMO): Recognizes mountains and glaciers as climate sentinels and promotes early warning systems and enhanced data sharing.
- International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI): Established in 2009 as a result of the COP-15, it is a network of senior policy experts and researchers that works with governments and organizations.
- It creates and implements initiatives designed to preserve the Earth’s cryosphere.
- National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) is a government initiative aimed at addressing climate change and its impacts on the Himalayan region.
- It focuses on developing sustainable strategies, and addressing issues like glacial melt, natural hazards, and biodiversity loss.
- The Arctic Council: It is a forum for Arctic countries to collaborate on environmental protection, sustainable development, and climate change mitigation in the Arctic region.
- Global Ice Monitoring Initiatives like the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) and the European Space Agency’s CryoSat mission use satellite-based remote sensing to monitor changes in glaciers and ice sheets.
Concluding remarks
- The accelerating loss of glaciers due to rising global temperatures is a stark reminder of the urgent need for coordinated climate action.
- While global initiatives such as the Paris Agreement and IPCC reports provide a strategic framework, their success hinges on timely implementation and increased ambition by all nations.
Source: IE