Loss of Venezuela’s Last Glaciers

• Venezuela has likely become the first country in modern history to lose all its glaciers.
• The Humboldt glacier, which was expected to last another decade has melted faster and has now been reclassified as an ice field.

• Glaciers are large, thick masses of ice formed on land due to snow accumulation over centuries.
• Impacts of Glacier Loss
  • Freshwater Source: Glaciers provide crucial freshwater, especially during dry periods. Loss means dependence on rainfall.
  • Aquatic Ecosystems: Cold water runoff from glaciers is vital for species survival. Loss affects these species and the food web.
  • Sea Level Rise: While the Humboldt glacier alone won’t significantly raise sea levels, larger ice sheets like Greenland and Antarctic contribute substantially.
  • Cultural Impact: In Venezuela, glaciers were part of cultural identity and important for tourism and mountaineering.
  Reasons for Glacier Disappearance
  • Global Warming: Primary cause due to greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide and methane.
  • GHG Emissions: Increased drastically since the Industrial Revolution, trapping heat and raising global temperatures by at least 1.1°C since 1880.
  • Regional Impact: Andes mountains, including Venezuela, have seen a high rate of temperature increase (0.10°C per decade).
  They are formed near freezing annual temperatures, significant winter precipitation, and minimal melting in other seasons.

Global Context:

• Worldwide Glacier Melt: Two-thirds of global glaciers could disappear by 2100 at current climate trends.
• India’s Risk: Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayan ranges are melting at unprecedented rates and could lose up to 80% of their volume this century without significant GHG emission reductions.

Dig Deeper: Doomsday glacier and other important glaciers