United Nations – 240 –
World Day for Glaciers – A Call to Action | United Nations
Summary
118seconds video
Glaciers are melting rapidly due to rising temperatures caused by global warming and climate change. This melting is resulting in the loss of an average of 273 billion tons of ice annually since 2000, which is equivalent to the water supply for the entire global population for 30 years. This loss causes significant impacts, such as increased flooding, changes in livelihoods, and population migrations. Glaciers currently contribute to a rise in sea levels by about one millimeter per year, which can flood 200,000 to 300,000 people annually. It is crucial to create awareness, change policies, and mobilize resources to mitigate and adapt to these changes.
Full Script
Many of the glaciers are melting very fast because of the raising of the temperature, because of global warming, because of climate change. We are seeing an unprecedented change in the glaciers and many of them are irreversible. Since 2000 we lost an annual average of 273 billion tons of ice, but just a huge number. To put that in context, 273 billion tons of ice lost every year corresponds to the water intake of the entire population for 30 years. When there are a lot of floods, for example, happening because of melting of glaciers, the livelihoods are changed, people tend to migrate from one place to another, so when you ask me how many people are actually impacted, it’s really everyone. Currently glaciers are contributing to sea level by about one millimeter a year. That sounds nothing one millimeter, right? But it has a huge impact, a small number, a huge impact. Every millimeter of additional sea level rise is going to flood another 200,000 to 300,000 persons every year. It is really high time that we create awareness and we change our policies and we mobilize resources to make sure that we have good policy frameworks in place, we have good research in place that can help us to mitigate and also adapt to these new changes.
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