Glacier Melt Puts Food, Water Supply in Peril for 2 Bn People: How Will It Affect Agriculture and Climate?

Food and water supply of 2 billion people globally is under threat due to rapid deglaciation, with the last three-year period seeing the largest glacial mass loss on record, according to a UNESCO report released on the first World Day for Glaciers.

The report indicates that receding glaciers and dwindling snowfall in mountain regions driven by climate crisis will impact two-thirds of all irrigated agriculture in the world in some way.

Food insecurity, already affecting  more than 1 billion people residing in mountainous regions and developing countries, is likely to worsen as food production in such regions relies on mountain waters, glaciers and melting snow, reported The Guardian. According to the State of the Global Climate report published by the World Meteorological Organisation, the rate of change of glaciers is the worst on record.

Abou Amani, Director of Water Sciences at UNESCO told The Guardian that the loss of ice replaces a reflective surface with dark soil that absorbs heat, adding, “Glaciers melting have an impact on the reflectivity of [solar] radiation and that will impact the whole climate system,” he warned.

Given the stark decline in glaciers, it is important for countries to unite and accelerate their climate efforts. Ana Toni, Brazil’s Chief Executive of COP30, emphasised that climate change is an accelerator of inequalities and poverty. She noted that these consequences could lead to future conflicts, stating, “The fight against climate change needs to be seen as something that’s not divorced from the big security issue of humanity.”

Role of Mountains in Agriculture and Energy

Agriculture and food security are intimately linked to water and therefore policies in these domains must be consistent. Mountain regions are vital to sectors such as pastoralism, forestry, tourism and energy production. In the Andean countries 85% of hydropower is generated from mountain areas. Mountains also provide high-value products such as medicinal plant, timber and other forest products, unique mountain livestock and specialty agriculture products-all of which are water dependent.

However, the report indicates that glaciers worldwide are melting at unprecedented rates, with mountain waters being the first to be exposed and the most vulnerable to the severe impacts of climate and biodiversity loss.