March 21 marks the first-ever World Day for Glaciers, a global observance aimed at raising awareness about the accelerating melt of glaciers and its devastating consequences. The United Nations has declared this initiative to highlight the risks faced by nearly 2 billion people who rely on glaciers for freshwater.
Across mountain ranges worldwide, glaciers are thinning and retreating at alarming rates due to rising temperatures. This is leading to the formation of glacial lakes, which can pose significant hazards if natural dams break. The growing presence of these lakes has resulted in increased occurrences of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which have already caused devastating damage in recent years.
In 2023 alone, a GLOF in the Indian Himalayas killed over 50 people and destroyed a hydropower plant, while repeated flash floods from Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier have put communities at risk. In Peru, the expansion of glacial lakes has threatened the lives of more than 35,000 people living downstream.
The thawing of permafrost is also leading to landslides and rockfalls that trigger large waves in glacial lakes, causing further destruction. These events are not only deadly but also have significant economic costs, with damage to hydropower infrastructure and transport routes estimated to be billions.
In response to these growing threats, governments and scientific communities are stepping up efforts to mitigate the risks associated with melting glaciers. The United Nations has declared 2025-2034 as the “Decade of Action in Cryospheric Sciences” to coordinate global research and risk mitigation strategies.
This first observance of World Day for Glaciers serves as a sobering reminder that glacier loss is no longer a distant issue, but a pressing concern for millions of people worldwide.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/03/march-21st-became-most-alarming-day-year