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Melancholy Melt: UN Implores Urgent Action to Avert Glacier Cataclysm

सोमवार, 2 जून 2025

Synopsis: - The United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization are urging global governments to take immediate steps to combat climate change after warning that glacier loss is accelerating worldwide. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and WMO chief Celeste Saulo highlighted the water crisis and rising risks of disasters in nations like Tajikistan, Nepal, and Venezuela.

UN Summons Global Urgency as Glaciers Face Existential Threat

At the International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Friday, the United Nations issued a chilling call to action. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed described the escalating disappearance of the world’s glaciers as a “cataclysm in slow motion,” urging the international community to act swiftly. The event was a part of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025, spearheaded by Tajikistan and supported by the World Meteorological Organization, drawing attendees from over 30 countries including climate ministers, indigenous leaders, hydrologists, and youth advocates.

 

Glacial Losses by Numbers: A Planetary Hemorrhage

Glaciers have lost more than 9,000 gigatons of ice since 1975, according to the WMO’s latest assessment, an amount equivalent to the combined weight of over 72 billion double-decker buses. This melt has already contributed to rising sea levels and disrupted freshwater supplies for more than 2 billion people who depend on glacier-fed rivers. The most affected glaciers are located in the Himalayas, Andes, Alps, and the Arctic Circle, with many now losing ice at unprecedented rates due to rising global temperatures. Climate scientists warned that some low-altitude glaciers could vanish entirely within the next two decades if no drastic action is taken.

 

Fariza Dzhobirova Gives Voice to a Vanishing Future

Fariza Dzhobirova, a 17-year-old youth climate activist from eastern Tajikistan, spoke passionately at the event, representing a generation confronting ecological inheritance in peril. She detailed how glacier retreat has altered daily life in her community: irrigation channels are drying up, livestock are suffering from dehydration, and traditional farming cycles are collapsing. “My village now depends on bottled water every summer,” she said, adding that even drinking water has to be rationed. The UN recognized the symbolic weight of youth leadership in the climate movement, encouraging governments to include young people in strategic decision-making.

 

Venezuela, Nepal & Slovenia Mark End of a Glacial Era

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo presented sobering updates from three nations: Venezuela, Slovenia, and Nepal. Venezuela became the second country after Slovenia to lose all of its glaciers. In Nepal, the once-majestic Yala Glacier, situated in the Langtang Valley and revered by local communities, has officially melted away. These losses are not merely environmental, they represent the collapse of ecosystems, the drying of sacred water sources, and the destruction of cultural heritage sites. Saulo remarked, “When a glacier dies, a part of a civilization dies with it.”

 

Glacier Melt Fuels Disasters in Fragile Regions

The melting of glaciers has triggered a dangerous rise in glacier lake outburst floods, where ice-bound lakes break their banks, causing deadly downstream surges. One such flood in Uttarakhand, India in 2021 killed over 200 people and destroyed critical infrastructure. The WMO warned that landslides, avalanches, and river overflow events are set to intensify, especially in mountainous developing regions where warning systems and infrastructure are underdeveloped. Countries like Bhutan, Peru, and Pakistan are particularly vulnerable, with multiple glacial lakes now classified as "extremely hazardous."

 

Inequity in the Climate Battle: Poor Nations Pay the Price

Many developing nations bear the brunt of glacier retreat despite contributing minimally to global emissions. Tajikistan, which hosts 13,000 glaciers, is one of the least carbon-intensive countries globally, yet its agriculture, hydroelectric power, and drinking water systems are severely threatened. Similar patterns are seen across Africa’s Rwenzori Mountains and the Andes in South America. The UN urged wealthier nations to fulfill climate financing pledges, calling for a robust Loss and Damage fund to help poorer countries adapt, install glacier monitoring equipment, and protect downstream populations from climate-induced catastrophes.

 

UN Demands Urgent Policy Shifts & Emissions Cuts

UN Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed called for “decisive, immediate, and collective political commitments,” reiterating the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C. She criticized the slow pace of policy implementation, stating that “glaciers are not waiting for legislation, they are melting now.” The UN appealed for aggressive emissions reductions, especially in CO₂ and CH₄, as well as the phasing out of coal and fossil fuel subsidies. Countries were urged to revise their Nationally Determined Contributions before the upcoming COP30 climate summit.

 

Monitoring, Education & Diplomacy as Pillars of Preservation

The conference concluded with a blueprint calling for three strategic pillars: monitoring, education, and diplomatic collaboration. Investing in real-time glaciological data collection, including drone and satellite surveillance, was deemed essential for early warning and planning. Public awareness campaigns were proposed to educate rural communities on glacier risks. International cooperation was emphasized, with suggestions to form a global “Glacier Watch Alliance,” comprising scientists, UN bodies, and regional governments. The UN also floated the idea of a Global Glacier Treaty, akin to the Paris Agreement, to legally bind nations to protect cryospheric systems.

 

Key Takeaways:

  • Since 1975, glaciers have lost over 9,000 gigatons of ice, destabilizing global water security & ecosystems

  • Countries like Venezuela, Slovenia, & Nepal have seen the complete loss of key glaciers, impacting millions

  • UN & WMO demand urgent emissions cuts, global glacier treaty, & climate justice for vulnerable nations

 

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