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Glacier preservation needed to face devastating water crisis

Published : Monday, 24 March, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 502
MS Siddiqui
Concluding Part

Today, water is under extreme threat from a growing population, increasing demands of agriculture and industry, and the worsening impacts of climate change.The challenges Facing the Water Resources are:
* Rivers, lakes, and oceans are marred by the sight of plastic bottles, wrappers, and other debris, not only tarnishing their appearance but also endangering the flora, fauna, and human communities reliant on them.
* Industrial, agricultural, and household pollutants seep into water bodies, rendering them unsafe for consumption and detrimental to aquatic ecosystems.
* Similar to leaving water taps running endlessly, some regions worldwide are depleting water resources faster than they can regenerate, leading to shortages and dried-up riverbeds.
* Agricultural irrigation, industrial processes, and daily human consumption cumulatively strain water resources, exacerbating the imbalance between usage and replenishment.
* Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns contribute to more frequent and severe droughts, shrinking water sources and amplifying water scarcity issues.
* While some areas face prolonged droughts, others contend with heightened rainfall and flooding, posing challenges such as soil erosion and water source contamination.
* While many enjoy instant access to clean water, millions globally lack this basic necessity, often having to travel long distances to fetch water that may still be unsafe for consumption.
* Inadequate access perpetuates a cycle of poverty and ill health, as contaminated water sources contribute to widespread illness and disease burden.
* Infrastructure projects like dams and river diversions intended to meet human water needs can disrupt ecosystems, endangering plant and animal species reliant on those water sources.

A glacier is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock. On Earth, 99% of glacial ice is contained within vast ice sheets in the polar regions, but glaciers also available in mountain ranges. High mountain regions are the world's water towers. Glaciers cover about 10% of Earth's land surface. The Himalayas are home to a vast network of glaciers, with an estimated 34,919 glaciers covering approximately 33,000 square kilometers, which is one of the largest concentrations of glacier-stored water globally.

Rapidly melting glaciers are causing uncertainty to water flows, with profound impacts on people and the planet. At present, glaciers are melting faster than ever. As the planet gets hotter due to climate change, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable and extreme. Glacial retreat threatens devastation. For billions of people, meltwater flows are changing, causing floods, droughts, landslides and sea level rise, and damaging ecosystems. We must work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage meltwater more sustainably for people.

Together with ice sheets, glaciers store about 70% of the global freshwater resources. Between 2000-2023, our world's glaciers collectively lost 6,542 trillion tonnes of ice this corresponds to an equivalent of 30 years of water consumption of the entire global population.

However, due to climate change, driven mainly by human activities since the 1800s, these vital resources are rapidly melting. Now, glaciers are melting faster than ever. Rapidly melting glaciers are causing uncertainty to water flows, with profound impacts on people and the planet. As the planet gets hotter, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable. For billions of people, melt water flows are changing, causing floods, droughts, landslides and sea level rise.Countless communities and ecosystems are at risk of devastation.

Glacier preservation is a survival strategy. The critical importance of safeguarding glaciers as vital freshwater sources. Glaciers regulate global water cycles and support ecosystems and communities worldwide. Their rapid melting due to climate change threatens water security, livelihoods, and health, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.

For billions of people, melt water flows are changing, causing floods, droughts, landslides and sea level rise. Countless communities and ecosystems are at risk of devastation.
World Water Day, celebrated on 22 March every year since 1993, focuses on the importance of freshwater. It aims to raise awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. The theme of World Water Day 2025 is 'Glacier Preservation'.

As water demands grow and climate change accelerates, UN sponsored World Water Day's importance will only increase in the coming years. Themes will likely continue focusing on pressing issues such as water scarcity, pollution, resource management, and the intersection of water with energy, food, and public health.

Global reductions in carbon emissions and local strategies to adapt to shrinking glaciers are essential. On this 'World Water Day', we must work together to put glacier preservation at the core of our plans to tackle climate change and the global water crisis.

Historical rates of progress would need to double for the world to achieve universal coverage with basic drinking water services by 2030. To achieve universal safely managed services will require a 6-fold increase. Climate change, increasing water scarcity, population growth, demographic changes and urbanization already pose challenges for water supply systems.

Transboundary cooperation is needed to share this vital resource, which is vital for the economic well-being of entire regions. More than three billion people rely on transboundary river basins for their needs, yet 60 percent of the world's 310 international river basins lack frameworks to govern disputes. Climate and pollution risks in many transboundary basins, already high, are expected to increase. Bangladesh is sharing the water with China, Nepal and India and need cooperation of these countries. The unilateral withdrawal of water from rivers may have devastating impact on the life of people in Bangladesh.

Options for water sources used for drinking-water and irrigation will continue to evolve, with an increasing reliance on groundwater and alternative sources, including wastewater. Climate change will lead to greater fluctuations in harvested rainwater. Management of all water resources will need to be improved to ensure provision and quality.

By 2100, the total surface area of glaciers (665,000 km2 in 2020) is projected to shrink from approximately 20% to 50%, depending on greenhouse gas emission scenarios. Global reductions in carbon emissions and local strategies to adapt to shrinking glaciers are essential.

UN has designated 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation to highlight the importance of glaciers and ensure that those relying on them, and those affected by cryospheric processes, receive the necessary hydrological, meteorological, and climate services.This year's World Water Day campaign is about working together to put glacier preservation at the core of action plans to tackle climate change and the global water crisis.

The primary cause of glacial melting is greenhouse emission and global warming. The preservation of glaciers is a responsibility of combined action of the entire world. The most effective approach is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate global warming. This can be achieved through various actions, including transitioning to renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and promoting sustainable practices.

On the World Water Day, we must work together to put glacier preservation at the core of our plans to tackle climate change and the global water crisis.The links between lack of water and sanitation access and the development goals are clear, and the solutions to the problem are known and cost-effective. A 2012 WHO study showed that every US $1 invested in improved sanitation translates into an average global economic return of US $5.5. Global leaders should consider the preferences of investments.

The writer is a Former Non-Government Adviser, Bangladesh Competition Commission, Legal Economist & CEO, Bangla Chemical


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