Are We Listening? The Melting Glaciers of Ecostani Issue a Critical Wake-Up Call

A glacier collapse recently buried part of the village of Birch, Switzerland, while Yala glacier in Nepal was declared dead just days earlier. A new study warns that if global warming continues unchecked, glaciers not in polar regions could shrink by nearly half.

The Himalayas, known as the “Third Pole,” are facing similar threats. Research by the Geological Survey of India and the Indian Space Research Organisation shows that Himalayan glaciers are melting faster than ever. An April 2025 study from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development noted that winter snow levels in the Himalayas are at their lowest in decades, with Yala’s death marking a significant milestone for Nepal.

This rapid melting is partly driven by black carbon emissions, which darken snow surfaces. This leads to increased heat absorption and faster melting. A study highlighted that average snow temperatures in the Himalayas have risen by over 4°C in the last two decades, meaning more water runoff now but potential droughts in the future. Nearly 2 billion people in South Asia depend on this water supply.

The World Meteorological Organization predicts a high likelihood that the years 2025 to 2029 will be warmer than 2024. Such additional warming intensifies heatwaves, storms, and droughts. It also poses risks to South Asia’s economy, as 40% of India’s GDP relies on river basins fed by these glaciers.

The recent landslide in Switzerland, caused by melting mountain permafrost, is a stark reminder of how climate change is affecting glaciers worldwide. Similar events have occurred in places like Tibet and Peru, sometimes with tragic outcomes.

A study from ETH Zurich found that, at our current warming rate, 54% of non-polar glaciers could shrink significantly. However, if we limit warming to 1.5°C, more than half could be preserved. Even keeping temperatures at 1.2°C would still lead to a 39% loss of glacier mass from 2020 levels.

Glaciers are essential indicators of climate change. Their retreat reveals the severity of global warming, and experts state we might not yet fully grasp the extent of this impact. Lilian Schuster from the University of Innsbruck noted, “The situation for glaciers is actually far worse than what we see today.” Losing glaciers poses serious threats to water availability and increases the risks of floods and landslides.

In response to these alarming trends, a recent meeting in Tajikistan addressed glacial melting. While discussions about action plans are a positive step, meaningful policy changes are still lacking. Without incentives for local communities to protect their environments, efforts to combat glacial loss may falter.

Ultimately, there needs to be a stronger, collective voice advocating for the protection of glaciers, which sustain billions of lives. Collaborating across borders and ensuring local engagement is vital for preserving these crucial resources.



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