Discussions about “Glaciers Receding” or “Retreat of the Glaciers” or “Disappearance of Glaciers” consistently figure at the top of any list of man-made disasters. Every time a similar news story comes out, it sparks a debate about global warming and what little is being done to control it. Hundreds of glaciers in the world are receding, and some have disappeared completely. Also, there are many headed towards extinction. A glacier is considered to be receding when, year after year, it loses more of its ice or ice shield due to evaporation and melting than it adds due to fresh snowfall. The phenomenon of retreat of the glaciers has gained pace since the 1980s – the last three decades have seen many glaciers eliminated, thus raising the sea level. There is sufficient visual evidence to substantiate that both “Continental Glaciers” and “Valley Glaciers” are receding. Some of the largest glaciers to recede/melt in last three decades are:
- Aletsch Glacier, Europe
- Kilimanjaro Glaciers, Africa
- Lambert Glacier, Antarctica
- Patagonia Glacier, Argentina
- Tasman Glacier, New Zealand
- Siachen Glacier, Asia
- Vatnajökull Glacier, Europe
Two of the large glaciers that are advancing in last few years are:
- Hubbard Glacier, Alaska
- Perito Moreno Glacier, Chile
More to come . . .