23 million Olympic-size swimming pools of iconic glaciers disappear every year because of climate change
My interview with TRT World on the climate crisis and COP27
I saw the sun slowly burning away the thick fog on this misty morning. Every few minutes, the light changed, the colors of nature reappeared, and so did the shapes of the trees. The morning was still chilly, but it will be a warm day in the afternoon.
I like warm weather days but am deeply worried about the warming climate. I expressed that yesterday when I was interviewed by TRT World News about the latest UNESCO report on the rapid melting of glaciers in World Heritage sites; it concludes that a third of these glaciers are expected to vanish by 2050. The report also states that the remaining two-thirds of these 18,600 glaciers could still be saved “if” global temperatures rise by no more than 1.5°C beyond pre-industrial levels.
But that is a very big “if” since curbing global warming to 1.5°C will be a tremendous challenge. According to a report released Wednesday by the environmental think tank World Resources Institute (WRI), countries' current emission reduction policies will result in a 7% decrease in emissions from 2019 levels by 2030. To achieve the Paris 1.5°C objective, WRI said that emissions would need to decrease by 43% over that time.
The glaciers in the 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites cover roughly 66,000 km2, or almost 10% of the Earth's total glacierized area. They include the longest (in Alaska), the highest (next to Mt. Everest), and the last-standing glaciers in Africa. Since 2000, the glaciers have been retreating more quickly as a result of CO2 emissions, which are rising temperatures.
The melting of these glaciers is responsible for about 5% of the observed global sea-level rise. They are losing 58 billion tons of ice annually, equal to the capacity of 23 million Olympic-size swimming pools.
This is the video of the interview:
The Director General of IUCN, Dr. Bruno Oberle, commented on the report:
"When glaciers melt rapidly, millions of people face water scarcity and the increased risk of natural disasters such as flooding, and millions more may be displaced by the resulting rise in sea levels. This study highlights the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and invest in Nature-based Solutions, which can help mitigate climate change and allow people to better adapt to its impacts.”
Examples of endangered glaciers by region
Africa:
According to available data, glaciers in all World Heritage sites in Africa will very likely be gone by 2050, incl. Kilimanjaro National Park and Mount Kenya.
Europe:
Glaciers in Pyrenees Mont Perdu (France, Spain) – very likely to disappear by 2050
Glaciers in The Dolomites (Italy) – very likely to disappear by 2050
North America:
Glaciers in Yellowstone National Park (United States of America) – very likely to disappear by 2050
Glaciers in Yosemite National Park (United States of America) – very likely to disappear by 2050
Glaciers in Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (Canada, United States of America) have lost 26.5% of their volume in 20 years.
If you got this far, please read this too:
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Notes:
Full text of UNESCO report: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000383551
Thank you for a magical photo, a great article (the first paragraph is beautifully lyrical) and an outstanding interview, every word delivered masterfully.
Who would have imagined we would witness the loss of glaciers in our lifetimes? How very sad that the people of our generations have been such callous custodians of our beautiful planet.
I think this is one of your best interviews and just as COP27 is beginning. Well done.
Tanks for writing about this very discussed matter since it is endangering several economical sectors many rely on.