glacier
Credit: Maridav/Big Stock Photo
Venezuela's last glacier disappears, marking an environmental milestone
Venezuela has lost its final glacier, La Corona, making it the first country in the Andes without any glaciers, amid rising concerns over global warming effects.
Ana Vanessa Herrero and Matthew Hay Brown report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- La Corona's size shrank dramatically from more than 1,100 acres to less than five, leading scientists to declare its end as a glacier.
- Despite government attempts to preserve it using geothermal covers, experts deemed such interventions unfeasible and potentially harmful.
- The loss marks a significant shift in Venezuela's ecological and cultural landscape, previously home to multiple glaciers.
Key quote:
"Our tropical glaciers are disappearing quickly since the Seventies. Now people are feeling the absence."
— Alejandra Melfo, astrophysicist at the University of the Andes
Why this matters:
The loss of La Corona extends beyond symbolic significance; it is sounding a dire alarm for both ecological balance and water resource management. Glaciers, often referred to as nature’s reservoirs, slowly release water into rivers and lakes, supporting both human activities and the natural ecosystems throughout the year. Their disappearance can lead to water shortages that affect millions, complicating efforts to grow crops, generate hydroelectric power, and maintain natural habitats.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Antarctica's ice melt poses a rising threat as research funding dwindles
A recent study highlights the accelerated melting of Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier, signaling a dire need for action against sea level rise.
In short:
- Researchers have found that the Thwaites Glacier has been melting since the mid-1940s, with current rates of ice flow doubling in the last 30 years.
- This melting contributes significantly to global sea level rise, with Antarctica losing an average of 150 billion metric tons of ice per year.
- Despite the urgency, funding for further research is dwindling, threatening our ability to monitor and respond to these changes.
Key quote:
"It really brings home the scale of the problem of sea level rise. When you think about populations in New Orleans, in Bangladesh, and along coastlines all around the world, this is where the threat really lies.”
— James Kirkham, ice researcher
Why this matters:
The implications of Antarctica's ice melt are not limited to the rise in sea levels. Changes in freshwater distribution can affect ocean currents and weather patterns, leading to more extreme weather events globally, impacting food security, water supply, and health, particularly in more vulnerable communities.
People are flocking to see melting glaciers before they're gone—bringing both benefit and harm.
Keep reading...Show less
Image by Walter Frehner from Pixabay
As Switzerland’s glaciers shrink, a way of life may melt away
Rising temperatures and retreating glaciers threaten Europe’s water tower, forcing local farmers to adapt and presaging larger troubles downstream.
Newsletter
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Greenland ice sheet losing more ice than scientists estimated
The Greenland ice sheet lost 20 percent more ice than scientists previously thought, posing potential problems for ocean circulation and sea level rise, a study says.
Newsletter
Image by LuisValiente from Pixabay
A glaciologist reveals what we still don’t understand about polar ice
As glacial cliffs break off and destabilize frozen landscapes, glaciologist Richard Alley focuses on the fractures. The work could improve predictions about future sea-level rise.
Melting glaciers reveal Viking pass hidden for centuries
With global warming, glaciers and ice patches high in Norway's mountains are melting, and in their wake revealing a secret history that's been hidden for millennia.
Melting glaciers reveal Viking pass hidden for centuries
With global warming, glaciers and ice patches high in Norway's mountains are melting, and in their wake revealing a secret history that's been hidden for millennia.
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
