A groundbreaking global assessment published in Nature has raised alarm over the accelerating melt of the world’s glaciers, with profound implications for rising sea levels and freshwater resources.

The study, which draws on data from field and satellite measurements, reveals a sharp increase in ice loss over the past decade, with approximately 36 percent more ice lost between 2012 and 2023 compared to the previous decade (2000-2011).

Michael Zemp, a professor at the University of Zurich and co-author of the study, described the findings as “shocking,” though not entirely unexpected.

The study's conclusions indicate that glacier loss is occurring at a much faster pace than previously anticipated, a trend that may continue to escalate in the coming years. This acceleration could lead to higher sea levels by the end of this century, surpassing earlier predictions.

Smaller glaciers, in particular, are melting at an alarming rate, with many predicted to disappear entirely by the end of this century.

“We are facing higher sea-level rise than we expected before,” Zemp told AFP, emphasizing that this loss of glaciers could also have significant impacts on freshwater supplies, especially in regions like Central Asia and the central Andes, which depend heavily on glaciers for water.

The study found that, since the turn of the century, the world’s glaciers have lost approximately 5 percent of their volume, with regional variations. Antarctica, for instance, has seen a 2 percent reduction, while glaciers in the European Alps have suffered a staggering 40 percent loss.

On average, 273 billion tonnes of ice are being lost each year, equivalent to the water consumption of the global population for 30 years.

Coordinated by the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), the University of Edinburgh, and Earthwave research group, the study provides a comprehensive reference for tracking ice loss globally. The research team aims to offer a clearer understanding of how the world’s glaciers are responding to the effects of global warming.

Professor Martin Siegert, a researcher at the University of Exeter, who was not involved in the study, expressed concern about the findings, noting that the accelerating ice loss could also offer crucial insights into the response of Antarctica and Greenland’s ice sheets to rising temperatures.

“Ice sheets are now losing mass at a rate six times higher than they were three decades ago. When they change, we stop talking about centimetres and start talking about metres,” Siegert warned.

Zemp also stressed the urgency of addressing the root cause of glacier loss: greenhouse gas emissions. “To save the world’s glaciers, we must reduce emissions,” he said.

“Every tenth of a degree of warming that we can prevent will save lives, save money, and prevent more damage.”