Thousands of Glaciers Could Disappear Annually Unless Global Warming Is Curbed, Scientists Warn

Scientists are warning that the world could lose thousands of glaciers each year over the coming decades unless global warming is urgently addressed, leaving only a fraction of the current glaciers by the end of the century.

A study published Monday in Nature Climate Change predicts that the planet could reach a stage of “peak glacier extinction” by midcentury, with up to 4,000 glaciers melting each year if temperatures continue to rise unchecked.

Currently, about 200,000 glaciers exist worldwide, with around 750 disappearing annually. The study warns that this rate could increase more than fivefold if global temperatures rise 4°C (7.2°F) above pre-industrial levels, leaving only 18,288 glaciers by 2100.

Even if governments meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F), the world could still lose 2,000 glaciers per year by 2041, resulting in the disappearance of more than half of the planet’s glaciers by the end of the century.

Experts caution that this “best-case scenario” is unlikely. The UN Environment Programme recently warned that warming is on track to exceed 1.5°C in the coming years, projecting a rise of 2.3°C to 2.5°C (4.1°F to 4.5°F) by 2100 even if countries fulfill their current climate commitments.

Monday’s study, released at the close of the UN’s International Year of Glacier Preservation, emphasizes the need for immediate and ambitious climate action.

“The difference between losing 2,000 and 4,000 glaciers per year by midcentury is determined by near-term policies and societal decisions taken today,” the study said.

Coauthor Matthias Huss, a glacier expert at ETH Zurich, who participated in the 2019 symbolic funeral for Switzerland’s Pizol glacier, said:

“The loss of glaciers that we are speaking about here is more than just a scientific concern. It really touches our hearts.”