Up to 4,000 glaciers per year could vanish due to climate change, Swiss researchers warn in a study published on Monday.
At least half of the world’s glaciers may disappear by the end of the century, the study states.
The research, published in the 'Nature Climate Change' journal, highlights that glacial retreat is more than just a natural science concern.
Limiting warming to 1.5°C could save 4 out of 5 glaciers
Each glacier can hold cultural significance, serve as a major tourist destination, or symbolise regional identity, lead author Lander Van Tricht, a researcher at ETH Zurich, explained.
He emphasised that the focus should be not only on the volume of glaciers but also on their number.
The study shows that a global temperature rise of 2.7 degrees Celsius would lead to the loss of four out of five glaciers by century’s end.
If warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement, around half of today’s glaciers could be preserved.
Smaller glaciers, such as those in the Alps, are at greatest risk
Smaller glaciers, found in regions like the Alps and the Caucasus, are disappearing first, while larger ones in Greenland and Antarctica retreat more slowly.
By mid-century, between 2,000 and 4,000 glaciers could vanish annually, depending on rising temperatures.
Currently, around 750 to 800 glaciers are already disappearing each year, the researchers noted.
A glacier is considered lost when its surface area drops below 0.01 square kilometres or its remaining mass falls below 1% of its original size.
