World Heritage Glaciers

In News

• UNESCO finds that some iconic World Heritage glaciers will disappear by 2050. 
  • One third on the list is under threat. 

About World Heritage glaciers 

• As many as 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites are home to glaciers, representing almost 10 per cent of the Earth’s total glacierized area.
  • They include the highest (next to Mt. Everest), the longest (in Alaska), and the last remaining glaciers in Africa, amongst others, giving a representative overview of the general situation of glaciers in the world. 
• Region wise assessment 
  • Africa
    • Glaciers in all World Heritage sites in Africa will very likely be gone by 2050, including Kilimanjaro National Park and Mount Kenya.
  • Asia
    • Glaciers in Western Tien-Shan (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan) have shrunk by 27% since 2000.
  • Europe:
    • Glaciers in Pyrenees Mont Perdu (France, Spain) are very likely to disappear by 2050.
    • Glaciers in The Dolomites (Italy) are very likely to disappear by 2050.
  • North America:
    • Glaciers in Yellowstone National Park (United States of America) are 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. 

Significance of Glaciers 

• Half of humanity depends directly or indirectly on glaciers as their water source for domestic use, agriculture, and power. 
• Glaciers are also pillars of biodiversity, feeding many ecosystems. 

Challenges 

• When glaciers melt rapidly, millions of people face water scarcity and the increased risk of natural disasters such as flooding.
• Millions more may be displaced by the resulting rise in sea levels. 
• Glaciers are currently losing 58 billion tonnes of ice every year that is equivalent to the combined annual water use of France and Spain and are responsible for nearly 5% of observed global sea level rise.

Way Forward/ Suggestions

• It was still possible to save the other two-thirds if the rise in global temperatures did not exceed 1.5°C compared to the pre-industrial era.
• COP27 will have a crucial role to help find solutions to this issue.
• UNESCO is advocating for the creation of a new international fund for glacier monitoring and preservation.
  • Such a fund would support comprehensive research, promote exchange networks between all stakeholders and implement early warning and disaster risk reduction measures. 

Source: TH