Brief Context
The United Nations World Water Development Report 2025 – Mountains and Glaciers: Water Towers was released by UNESCO.
Source Content
Syllabus: GS 3/Environment, Conservation
In News
- The United Nations World Water Development Report 2025 – Mountains and Glaciers: Water Towers was released by UNESCO.
Key points of the report
- Glaciers are melting faster than ever, with a significant loss of mass in the last few years.
- Since 1975, glaciers have lost over 9,000 billion tonnes of mass, equivalent to an ice block the size of Germany.
- Impurities such as black carbon from wildfires and dust storms are accelerating the melting by increasing the absorption of solar radiation.
- Permafrost Thawing: Rising temperatures are causing permafrost to melt, releasing organic carbon into the atmosphere and exacerbating climate change.
- The thaw also destabilizes slopes, increasing the risk of landslides and other hazards.
- Decline in Snow Cover: Snow cover has decreased in mountain regions, especially in spring and summer, with further declines expected.
- A global mean decline of 7.79% in snow cover between 1979 and 2022.
Impacts and Concerns
- The impacts of glacier melting and permafrost thaw include erratic water flow, increased risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and rising sea levels.
- GLOFs have caused over 12,000 deaths in the past 200 years.
- The melting of glaciers contributes to 25-30% of global sea level rise, posing risks to millions of people.
Suggestions and Way Forward
- Mountains cover 33 million sq km and are vital for sustaining life, with around 2 billion people relying on mountain glaciers for freshwater.
- Therefore awareness and policy changes are needed to address the impact of rising temperatures on mountain ecosystems and downstream communities.
- Mobilization of resources and creation of effective policy frameworks are critical for mitigating these environmental impacts.
Source :TH