Glaciers around the world are melting at an unprecedented rate, threatening the food and water supply of 2 billion people. The United Nations has warned that two-thirds of global irrigated agriculture is likely to be affected by receding glaciers and dwindling snowfall in mountain regions.
Over 1 billion people live in mountainous areas, where up to half are already experiencing food insecurity. As glaciers melt, they will exacerbate drought conditions in countries like the US, which has been experiencing a prolonged drought since 2000. The loss of glaciers will also have a direct impact on communities that rely on them for water and food.
The rate of change is the worst on record, with the largest three-year loss of glacier mass occurring in the past three years. Eastern Africa has lost 80% of its glaciers, while the Andes has seen between a third to a half melt since 1998. The Alps and Pyrenees have also experienced significant shrinkage.
The melting of glaciers will not only affect agriculture but also impact the global climate system by reducing reflective surfaces that absorb heat. It will lead to more avalanches, sudden floods, and the release of methane from thawing permafrost.
Experts warn that if greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked, half of global glacier mass will be lost by the end of the century. The impacts of this melting will be felt far beyond those immediately affected, with food insecurity rising uphill as water flows downhill.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/20/glacier-meltdown-risks-food-and-water-supply-of-2bn-people-says-un