Glacier Disappearance

Context: A new study published in Nature Climate Change projects that global glacier disappearance will peak around mid-century, with up to 4,000 glaciers vanishing annually under high-warming scenarios.

About Glacier Disappearance:

What it is?

• Glacier disappearance refers to the complete extinction of individual glaciers when their area falls below 0.01 sq km or their remaining ice volume drops below 1% of original levels, due to sustained warming and mass loss.

Key trends:

• Mid-century peak: Global glacier extinction is projected to peak between 2041–2055, depending on warming levels.

• Scale of loss: ~2,000 glaciers/year under +1.5°C warming ~4,000 glaciers/year under +4.0°C warming

• ~2,000 glaciers/year under +1.5°C warming

• ~4,000 glaciers/year under +4.0°C warming

• Regional variation: Small-glacier regions (European Alps, Caucasus) see early peaks before 2040. Large-glacier regions (Greenland periphery, Arctic Canada) face delayed but prolonged loss.

• Small-glacier regions (European Alps, Caucasus) see early peaks before 2040.

• Large-glacier regions (Greenland periphery, Arctic Canada) face delayed but prolonged loss.

• High-Mountain Asia: Hosts over one-third of global glaciers and strongly shapes the global mid-century extinction peak.

Key reasons:

• Rising global temperatures increasing melt rates beyond accumulation.

• Prevalence of small glaciers, which respond rapidly to warming.

• Delayed response of large glaciers, leading to sustained long-term loss.

• Insufficient climate mitigation, locking in future ice loss even if emissions stabilise later.

Relevance for UPSC Examination

• GS Paper I – Physical Geography

• Glaciers, cryosphere dynamics, climate–landform interaction Impact of glacier retreat on rivers and geomorphology

• Glaciers, cryosphere dynamics, climate–landform interaction

• Impact of glacier retreat on rivers and geomorphology

• GS Paper III – Environment & Climate Change

• Climate change impacts, global warming thresholds (1.5°C vs 2°C+) Water security, disaster risk (GLOFs), and ecosystem services International climate negotiations and mitigation urgency

• Climate change impacts, global warming thresholds (1.5°C vs 2°C+)

• Water security, disaster risk (GLOFs), and ecosystem services

• International climate negotiations and mitigation urgency