Why in news: A new study published in Nature Climate Change projects that global glacier disappearance will peak around mid-century, with up to 4,000 glaciers vanishing annually under high-warming scenarios.
What is Glacier Disappearance?
Glacier disappearance refers to the complete extinction of an individual glacier when:
oIts area falls below 0.01 sq km, or
oIts remaining ice volume drops below 1% of original levels.
It occurs due to sustained warming, where ice melt exceeds snow accumulation over time.
Key Global Trends
1. Mid-Century Peak
- Global glacier extinction is projected to peak between 2041–2055, depending on the level of global warming.
2. Scale of Loss
- Under +1.5°C warming → ~2,000 glaciers lost per year.
- Under +4.0°C warming → ~4,000 glaciers lost per year.
3. Regional Variations
- Small-glacier regions (European Alps, Caucasus):
- Early and rapid losses, with peaks before 2040.
- Large-glacier regions (Greenland periphery, Arctic Canada):
- Slower response, but prolonged and sustained loss over longer periods.
- High-Mountain Asia:
- Hosts over one-third of the world’s glaciers.
- Plays a decisive role in shaping the global mid-century extinction peak.
Key Reasons for Glacier Disappearance
- Rising global temperatures accelerating melt rates.
- High proportion of small glaciers, which respond rapidly to warming.
- Delayed dynamic response of large glaciers, locking in long-term ice loss.
- Insufficient climate mitigation, causing irreversible losses even if emissions stabilise later.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
