Glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, with a study revealing that thousands of them could disappear each year by mid-century. The research highlights the stark contrast between government action and inaction on climate change, emphasizing the potential loss of 2,000 or 4,000 glaciers annually. A mere few degrees of warming can make the difference between preserving almost half of the world's glaciers in 2100 or losing fewer than 10%. The study's lead author, glaciologist Lander Van Tricht, underscores the urgency of ambitious climate policies. While individual glacier loss may have less impact on sea-level rise, it can significantly harm local tourism and culture. The disappearance of each glacier can have profound local consequences, despite its small contribution to melting. The study examined satellite data of 211,490 glaciers, predicting 'peak glacier extinction' based on various warming scenarios. Today, the world loses around 1,000 glaciers annually, but this pace is set to accelerate. By 2041, the number of disappearing glaciers will peak at 2,000, even if warming is limited to 1.5°C, the Paris Agreement threshold. This could leave only half of the world's glaciers standing by 2100. However, the United Nations warns that warming is on track to exceed 1.5°C, leading to projections of 3,000 glaciers disappearing annually between 2040 and 2060. In a worst-case scenario with 4°C warming, up to 4,000 glaciers could vanish each year by the mid-2050s, leaving only 9% of glaciers by 2100. The timing of peak glacier disappearance varies by region, with smaller glaciers in areas like the European Alps and subtropical Andes facing potential extinction within two decades. Larger glaciers in Greenland and the Antarctic periphery will experience peak disappearance later in the century. The researchers emphasize that while glacier disappearances will peak in all scenarios, the rate will eventually decline due to the remaining glaciers' size and the time it takes for them to melt.
