(MENAFN- AzerNews)
By Alimat Aliyeva
UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have
officially announced the launch of the International Year of
Glacier Conservation, marking a pivotal moment in global efforts to
protect the vital glaciers that provide fresh water to over 2
billion people worldwide, Azernews reports.
Throughout the year, this global and coordinated initiative will
aim to raise awareness about the crucial role glaciers play in the
planet's water cycle and to address the urgent challenges posed by
the accelerating pace of glacier melting.
Approximately 70 percent of the world's freshwater reserves are
stored in glaciers and ice sheets. However, these ice formations
are rapidly receding due to climate change. The conservation of
these critical resources is essential to ensure environmental
sustainability, economic stability, and the preservation of
agriculture and livelihoods that depend on glacier-fed water
sources.
In recognition of the significance of glaciers to global water
security, the UN General Assembly declared 2025 as the
International Year of Glacier Conservation. This initiative is
designed to highlight the vital role glaciers, snow, and ice play
in the climate system and the hydrological cycle, as well as the
far-reaching consequences of their rapid disappearance.
UNESCO and the WMO are leading the international efforts to
coordinate this initiative, supported by over 75 international
organizations and 35 countries. On January 21, a special event was
held at the WMO headquarters in Geneva to officially launch the
initiative. Additionally, the first World Glacier Day will take
place on March 20-21 at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris. On this
occasion, UNESCO will release its World Report on the State of
Water Resources, which will be dedicated to glacier conservation.
The report will present new data on glacier retreat and outline
measures being taken to address this urgent issue.
Glaciers are not only essential for providing fresh water, but
they also act as natural time capsules, offering invaluable data to
scientists about historical climatic processes, atmospheric
composition, and even human activity over millennia. Their loss
leads to the disappearance of unique ecosystems and biodiversity
that developed in these specialized environments.
As glaciers retreat, they decrease the availability and quality of
water downstream, impacting ecosystems and sectors such as
agriculture, hydropower, and drinking water supplies. This process
also contributes to an increase in natural disasters like
landslides, avalanches, floods, and droughts, posing a long-term
threat to the safety of water supplies for billions of people.
In addition to their environmental and economic significance,
glaciers also have immense cultural and scientific value. They are
crucial in shaping regional weather patterns and influencing global
sea levels. Their rapid disappearance underscores the urgent need
for a comprehensive global response to combat climate change and
protect these irreplaceable natural resources.
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