Study Finds Nearly 40% World's Glaciers Doomed Amid Climate Crisis

A series of new studies published in Science reveal that glaciers worldwide are far more vulnerable to climate change than previously understood, with nearly 40% already committed to melting due to past emissions. Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius could preserve more than twice the glacier mass compared to a 2.7 degrees Celsius rise, with critical regions like the Hindu Kush Himalaya retaining 40-45% of their ice at 1.5°C but losing up to 75% at 2°C. The massive glacier loss would drive significant sea level rise, threaten biodiversity, increase natural hazards, and jeopardize water supplies for billions, particularly in regions dependent on glacier-fed rivers such as South Asia. Studies emphasize that glaciers have a long-term 'memory' and will continue losing mass for centuries even after warming stabilizes, making rapid and ambitious climate action essential to slow these changes. Every tenth of a degree of warming avoided could save trillions of tonnes of ice, highlighting the importance of meeting or exceeding the Paris Agreement targets to reduce emissions. Despite some inevitable losses, the research underscores that stronger mitigation efforts can substantially reduce glacier mass loss and its global consequences.