Glacier Melt Threatens Food, Water Supply for 2 Billion People, Posing Risks to Agriculture and Climate

The rapid melting of glaciers across the world endangers food, water, and energy security for nearly 2 billion individuals. As a recent UNESCO report issued to mark the World Day for Glaciers suggests, the last three years saw the largest-ever recorded glacial mass loss. This deacceleration will almost certainly have devastating consequences for agriculture, water, and the earth's climate system.

Glaciers also play a significant role in providing fresh water resources for utilization as drinking water, irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation. Many mountainous regions, whose agriculture and energy are dependent on meltwater from glaciers, suffer from water shortages due to rising temperatures. UNESCO's report states that two-thirds of irrigated agriculture in the world is directly and indirectly dependent upon mountain water resources, and hence food production in these regions continues to remain very vulnerable.

Glacier melting not only reduces water supply but is also altering the climatic system. When ice cover declines, light-colored surfaces such as ice are replaced by dark land, which retains more heat and leads to global warming. This would intensify climate change and lead to additional climatic system abnormalities, with longer spells of droughts, and agricultural output declining. The impact will be particularly catastrophic in developing countries and mountain regions, where more than 1 billion people are already food insecure.

Other than agriculture, energy generation would also be jeopardized. Hydropower, the major source of renewable power for most countries, relies on sustained glacial meltwater. In Andean countries, for example, 85% of their hydropower is drawn from mountainous sources. If the current rate of melting holds, then power generation becomes unpredictable and encroaches on the lives of millions of individuals and different industries.

Governments and international agencies must step up climatic policies in order to combat the effects of glacier melting. Experts note that glacial melting is not merely an environmental concern but a stark global security reality. If unchecked, it is capable of escalating inequalities, enriching poverty, and triggering fights over water and food resources. 

Conclusion
The accelerating melting of glaciers is an immediate problem that threatens the food, water, and energy security of billions. Immediate action is needed to mitigate climate change and develop sustainable water management. Inaction will lead to deteriorating agricultural productivity, energy generation, and world climate stability impacting livelihoods everywhere.

Source: Outlook Planet Desk, The Guardian, UNESCO, World Meteorological Organization
Credits: Outlook Planet Desk