Glacier Retreat: Causes, Impacts & Way Ahead

• A recent UNESCO report reveals that global glaciers have lost 9 trillion tonnes of ice since 1975, with 450 gigatonnes of ice melting away just in 2024. This is the fastest rate of loss ever recorded, and the consequences extend beyond the environmental sphere.
• The mass glacier retreat is a direct result of rising global temperatures caused by climate change, driven by human activities like burning fossil fuels. The crisis is not only an environmental issue but a pressing global challenge with far-reaching economic, social, and geopolitical consequences.

Causes of Glacier Retreat

Natural Factors

• Climate Variability: The Milankovitch cycles, which describe the Earth’s orbital variations, are well-documented as driving historical ice ages and interglacial periods. Paleoclimate data backs this theory.
• Volcanic Activity: While volcanic eruptions can cause short-term cooling (via sulfate aerosols) and long-term warming (due to CO2 emissions), this is supported by peer-reviewed climate science.
• Oceanic and Ice Shelf Dynamics: Studies by NASA & IPCC show that warmer ocean temperatures contribute to the melting of ice shelves, especially in regions like West Antarctica and Greenland.
• Geothermal Heat: The impact of geothermal heat is minimal compared to anthropogenic climate change, but its effects are acknowledged, especially in volcanic regions, such as Iceland and Antarctica.
• Snowfall Variability: The mass balance of glaciers is directly affected by precipitation patterns, as detailed in many glacier monitoring studies globally.

Anthropogenic Factors

• Climate Change: This is the central point of global climate science, particularly highlighted by the IPCC reports. Human-induced warming is responsible for most of the observed glacier loss.
• Black Carbon and Aerosols: Research by the UN Environment Programme and other scientific bodies shows that soot, particularly in the Himalayas & Arctic, reduces glaciers’ albedo, accelerating melting.
• Land Use and Deforestation: Alterations in land cover, as seen in the Amazon, Southeast Asia, and the Arctic, contribute to the “urban heat island” effect and global warming, which in turn affect glaciers.
• Glacier Dynamics: Rising temperatures lead to increased melting and calving, with significant ice loss in Greenland and Antarctica. This is well-documented by satellite imagery and scientific modeling.

Multidimensional Impacts of Glacier Retreat

• Environmental Impacts: Melting glaciers contribute to rising sea levels, which have increased by 18 mm from 2000 to 2023, heightening flood risks for coastal cities and island nations.
• Increased Natural Disasters: Glacier destabilisation leads to more frequent avalanches, landslides, flash floods, and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), threatening communities in glacier-fed regions.
• Economic Impacts: Glacier-fed rivers are crucial for water, agriculture, and irrigation; their retreat endangers water security, affecting food production and livelihoods for over 1.5 billion people.
• Hydroelectric Power Generation: The reduced meltwater flow from retreating glaciers impacts hydroelectric generation, leading to energy shortages in regions like Switzerland and the Andes.
• Social Impacts: Over 1.1 billion people in the mountainous areas face severe water shortages and increased risks from natural disasters due to glacier loss.
• Indigenous Communities: Glacier loss erodes the cultural and spiritual heritage of indigenous communities, such as the Bakonzo in East Africa, who view glaciers as sacred.
• Geopolitical Implications: Glacial retreat worsens tensions in transboundary river basins, such as the Indus River Basin, where countries compete over diminishing water resources.
• Migration: Glacier loss and natural disasters displace vulnerable populations, contributing to migration pressures and geopolitical tensions in affected regions.

Way Forward

1. Cut Emissions & Black Carbon: Enforce net-zero targets and strict controls on soot and industrial pollution to slow glacier melting.
2. Boost Glacier Monitoring: Expand satellite tracking and deploy early warning systems for glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
3. Secure Water & Infrastructure: Develop climate-resilient settlements and optimise water management from glacier-fed sources.
4. Strengthen Global Cooperation: Enhance transboundary water-sharing agreements and integrate indigenous conservation practices.
5. Scale Renewables & Funding: Expand hydropower, solar, and wind while mobilising global climate finance for glacier resilience.

The rapid retreat of glaciers is not just an environmental crisis but a global existential challenge impacting water security, biodiversity, economies, and geopolitics. Urgent climate action, scientific innovation, policy reforms, and international cooperation are essential to mitigate the adverse impacts of glacier loss.

UPSC Mains PYQs – Theme – Climate Change

1. [UPSC 2021] How do the melting of the Arctic ice and glaciers of the Antarctic differently affect the weather patterns and human activities on the Earth? Explain
2. [UPSC 2021] How will the melting of Himalayan glaciers have a far-reaching impact on the water resources of India?

   Reference: The Hindu | Times of India

PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 130

Q. Examine the relationship between climate change and glacial retreat in the Himalayan system. Discuss the potential consequences of this retreat on India’s water resources and suggest measures to mitigate these risks. (250 Words) (15 Marks)

Approach

• Introduction: Write briefly about the Himalayan region as the “Third pole” & the significance of glaciers.
• Body: Discuss the relationship between climate change and glacial retreat and also the potential consequences of this retreat on India’s water resources, with measures to mitigate the risk.
• Conclusion: Write a comprehensive conclusion mentioning mitigation approaches, such as regional cooperation and community engagement.