Melting glaciers pose a serious global issue

The rapid melting of glaciers is a serious global issue with far-reaching consequences. As glaciers and ice sheets melt, they contribute to rising sea levels, threatening coastal cities and small island nations with flooding and erosion.
Many regions depend on glaciers as a natural water reservoir. As they disappear, freshwater supplies for drinking, agriculture, and hydropower are at risk.
Melting glaciers disrupt ocean currents and atmospheric patterns, leading to more extreme storms, heatwaves, and unpredictable weather.
Many species, including polar bears, fish, and mountain ecosystems, depend on glaciers. Their loss disrupts ecosystems and food chains.
Scientists now say the world’s glaciers are melting faster than ever recorded, as global temperatures continue to rise.
They believe that from 2000 to 2023, they have lost more than 6,500bn tonnes of ice.
Experts say this has caused an almost 2cm rise in sea level rise during this time.
Glaciers are natural indicators of climate change and play an important role in many communities, providing necessary water resources.
The international team, led by the University of Edinburgh and University of Zurich in Switzerland, used glacier measurements as well as different types of satellite data to look into the scale and speed of ice melting.
They found that on average 273bn tonnes of ice are being lost every year – that’s the same amount as 30 years of water consumption by the entire world’s population.
According to BBC, the rate of change in some regions has been particularly extreme.
For example, Central Europe has lost nearly 40% of its glacier ice since 2000.
Scientists also found an increase in the amount of ice lost over the past 10 years compared with the start of the century.
Glaciers take time to respond to a changing climate – anywhere between a few years and many decades, depending on their size.
That means they will continue to melt in the years ahead, BBC noted.
The team say that glaciers rank as the second-largest contributor to global sea-level rise, following ocean warming.
Stephen Plummer from the European Space Agency, who were also involved with the study, explained: “These findings are not only crucial for advancing our scientific understanding of global glacier changes, but also provide a valuable baseline to help regions address the challenges of managing scarce freshwater resources.”
Experts say that glaciers are natural indicators of climate change and play an important role in providing water to many communities around the world, especially during dry seasons and helping to sustain hydropower energy.
Less glacial meltwater means reduced irrigation for crops, leading to lower yields and potential food shortages in some regions.
As glaciers melt, they form unstable lakes that can suddenly burst, causing deadly floods in nearby communities.
Industries like tourism (ski resorts, glacial sightseeing) and hydropower suffer as glaciers shrink. Infrastructure damage from floods and sea-level rise also adds financial burdens.
Glaciers trap greenhouse gases like methane and carbon. As they melt, these gases are released, further accelerating climate change.
Stricter emissions regulations and investments in greener technology will help slow down melting of glaciers to a significant extent.