Rapid glacier depletion sparks UN concerns
The United Nations World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned the world of the rapid depletion of glaciers across 19 different regions.
According to AfricaNews on March 21st, the WMO said 2024 was the third consecutive year that all 19 glacier regions experienced a net loss in mass.
Over the past 5 years glaciers have begun to retreat at the fastest rate ever recorded, the WMO has attributed this to climate change.
Tour guide, at the Perito Moreno Glacier, Victoria Pacheco said: “Although this glacier has been in equilibrium for a hundred years, in the past decade, it has shown a significant rate of retreat. It is melting faster than ever, with a high retreat rate compared to previous years.”
UNESCO describes glaciers as “fragile mirrors” of climate change, due to their retreat and ice losses reflecting global temperatures. If greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly reduced, half of the world’s glaciers could disappear by 2100, placing water supplies and ecosystems at risk.2024 was the hottest year recorded, surpassing internationally agreed targets.
Water is already an especially precious resource for many MENA countries, with 50 million having no access to clean drinking water in 2023.
Due to this, the UN has designated March 21st as World Glacier Day, hoping to educate people on the key role glaciers play in providing water, whilst encouraging global efforts to preserve these important natural resources before they melt completely.
AfricaNews, Maghrebi, World Meteorological Organisation
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