During Friday, for the first time, “World Day for glaciers” is being highlighted. The day has been instituted by the UN to elucidate how important the glaciers are for the water cycle – and what serious consequences it can have if they continue to melt at the same rate as now.
At Tarfala Research Station at Kebnekaise, researchers follow the Glaciers’ rapid melting. And the message from them is clear – immediate action is necessary.
“The only way to preserve glaciers is to lower greenhouse gas emissions,” says Nina Kirchner, glaciologist at Tarfala Research Station.
Political power is required
The UN General Assembly has also announced in 2025 for the International Year for the Conservation of Glaciers and aims to reconcile efforts all over the world to protect the glaciers. But climate policy is slowly moving forward.
– I think the whole climate issue has been quite a bit in the shadow of all other political events, says Nina Kirchner and continues:
– We as researchers always try to reach decision makers and politicians, but it is not always easy. It is not just their faults, it is also the researchers’ fault because we are not used to communicating in a way that goes fast and can lead to quick decisions. But it is something we have to work with together and quite so immediately.
Everyone can see that they are melting
In order to reach the message, the researchers have begun to invite decision makers to their activities at the research station. Partly for them to learn more and for them to see with their own eyes what happens.
– The glaciers have a simple symbolic function because they melt so quickly and everyone can see it.
All glaciers are exposed to global warming and the smaller glaciers are the ones that are very exposed to heating.
– We have to expect that we will lose some glaciers, she says.
“When they are gone they are gone”
According to the UN Climate Panel IPCC, four out of five glaciers may be lost until 2100. When it comes to Tarfalanalen, it would be very snow and ice-free.
– It will be difficult to recreate glaciers, it takes a very long time. So they are gone so they are gone for a very long time, says Nina Kirchner.