GLACIER CLIMATE INDICATOR
The massive loss of glaciers worldwide is one of the most visible signs of climate change. Our glaciers are relics of the last Ice Age, which were able to persist due to the low temperatures in high mountain regions and the polar zones. With the warming of the Earth and the resulting changes in these areas, these ice masses are melting. Glaciers are therefore important indicators of the state of climate change. The retreat of our glaciers has a massive impact on ecosystems, with potentially irreversible consequences.¹ The melting of glacial water contributes significantly to sea level rise, extreme weather scenarios, and soil erosion. Glacier ice plays an important role in our Earth’s climate – without the white ice, sunlight is not reflected, thereby intensifying warming – this is called the ice-albedo feedback.² The loss of glaciers is therefore one of the global tipping elements. It is clear that emissions from the use of greenhouse gases are accelerating this process.
NO ICE – NO WATER
Glaciers supply half of the world’s population with water.³ Regions with few freshwater sources are particularly dependent on meltwater from ice and snow. Global warming above 1.5°C threatens the existence of these people. Such a disappearance of glaciers would be irreversible.⁴
TIPPING POINT & TIPPING ELEMENTS
Tipping elements are parts of the Earth and climate system that, once a certain threshold (tipping point) is exceeded, lead to substantial changes in the overall system. Other examples include the dieback of rainforests or the thawing of permafrost soils.
Glacier loss affects people worldwide, for example in …
