A third of world heritage glaciers under threat- warns UNESCO

Subject: Environment

Context-

A third of the glaciers on the UNESCO World Heritage list are under threat, regardless of efforts to limit temperature increases, a study conducted by the UN body has found.

More on the news-

However, the study said it was still possible to save the other two-thirds if the rise in global temperature did not exceed 1.5°C compared to the preindustrial era.
The UNESCO study, in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), showed that these glaciers have been retreating at an accelerated rate since 2000 due to CO2 emissions, which are warming temperatures.
They are currently losing 58 billion tonnes of ice every year — equivalent to the combined annual water use of France and Spain — and are responsible for nearly 5% of observed global sea level rise.

Significance of glaciers-

Half of humanity depends directly or indirectly on glaciers as their water source for domestic use, agriculture, and power.
Glaciers are also pillars of biodiversity, feeding many ecosystems.
When glaciers melt rapidly, millions of people face water scarcity and the increased risk of natural disasters such as flooding, and millions more may be displaced by the resulting rise in sea levels.

Creation of a dedicated fund-

As many as 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites are home to glaciers, representing almost 10% of the Earth’s total glacierised area.
This study highlights the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and invest in nature-based solutions, which can help mitigate climate change.
In addition to drastically reducing carbon emissions, UNESCO is advocating for the creation of a new international fund for glacier monitoring and preservation.
Such a fund would support comprehensive research, promote exchange networks between all stakeholders and implement early warning and disaster risk reduction measures.

Several iconic landscapes found in World Heritage sites are–

Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina contains some of the largest glaciers on the Earth and is threatened by very large ice loss – about 60% of the current volume – by 2100.
In Europe, the disappearance of small glaciers is projected in the Pyrenees — Mont Perdu World Heritage site before 2040.
Te Wahipounamu — South West New Zealand, which contains three-quarters of New Zealand’s glaciers, is projected to lose 25% to 80% of the current ice volume over the course of this century.

World Heritage List

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. It has World Heritage List for the same.
This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organizations.
Created in 1948, IUCN has evolved into the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network.
It is headquartered in Switzerland.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.
The IUCN World Heritage Outlook provides conservation outlook assessments for all natural World Heritage sites.