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What is glacier protection?
On the occasion of World Water Day, which took place this year on March 22 under the motto “Glacier Preservation”, we are focusing today on the concept of glacier protection. This refers to all measures aimed at sustainably preserving and protecting our existing glaciers. As impressive natural wonders, glaciers have an important influence on global ecosystems. As 70 percent of the world’s freshwater reservoirs are tied up in glaciers, the ice masses play a decisive role in the water cycle. In many mountain regions, meltwater is an important resource for agriculture and as drinking water for households.
Why our glaciers are melting
A retreat of almost all glaciers has been observed since the middle of the 19th century. Around two thirds of the glaciers in the European Alps have melted since 1850. Glaciers melt when temperatures rise above 0°C. Due to the emission of greenhouse gases and the global increase in temperature, glaciers are melting rapidly worldwide and the water trapped in glaciers is flowing into the sea. Glacier researchers expect glaciers to melt almost completely by the end of the 21st century. Not only our Alpine glaciers, the Himalayas and the Andes, but also the polar regions with the Arctic and Antarctic are affected by this phenomenon.
The consequences for people and the environment
The melting of glaciers is leading to water shortages in many dry regions, rising sea levels and numerous natural hazards such as landslides and overflowing glacial lakes. Biodiversity is also severely threatened by the melting in many regions of the world.
What we can do for our glaciers
Because glaciers often cross borders, transnational measures and cooperation are particularly necessary to protect glaciers. The most important measure against global glacier melting is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Air pollution should also be curbed, as soot particles and particulate matter also contribute to ice melt. Current measures, such as artificial snowmaking or covering ice masses with fleece, are rather costly and energy-intensive and are not a suitable means of combating global glacier melt.