UN warns of record glacier melting and thinning
Monday, 17 Mar 2008 10:10
Glaciers across the world are melting at record rates
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The world's glaciers are melting at a record rate, according to the latest official figures from the UN Environment Programme (Unep).
Data from nine mountain ranges shows that between the years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 the average rate of melting and thinning more than doubled.
Europe experienced some of the most dramatic shrinking, with Norway's Breidalblikkbrea glacier thinning by almost 3.1 metres during 2006 compared with a thinning of 0.3 metres in 2005.
Austria's Grosser Goldbergkees glacier shrunk by 1.2 metres in 2006 versus 0.3 metres in 2005 and Italy's Malavalle glacier 1.4 metres versus about 0.9 metres in 2005.
Dr Wilfried Haeberli, director of the World Glacier Monitoring Servicem said the latest figures "are part of what appears to be an accelerating trend with no apparent end in sight".
Achim Steiner, UN under-secretary general and Unep executive director, said the record melting and thinning would have widespread effects.
"Millions if not billions of people depend directly or indirectly on these natural water storage facilities for drinking water, agriculture, industry and power generation during key parts of the year," he explained.
"There are many canaries emerging in the climate change coal mine. The glaciers are perhaps among those making the most noise and it is absolutely essential that everyone sits up and takes notice."
