International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025: Why It Matters

🌍 International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025 – Why the World is Paying Attention

2025 has been officially declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP). This global initiative—coordinated by UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)—aims to sound the alarm on the rapid melting of glaciers and its far-reaching impact on billions of people.

🧊 What Is IYGP 2025 and Why Now?

• The UN General Assembly proclaimed IYGP 2025 and established March 21 as the annual World Day for Glaciers to build global awareness :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
• UNESCO–WMO launched the initiative on January 21, 2025, highlighting glaciers’ role in storing ~70% of Earth’s freshwater :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
• The UN also declared 2025–2034 the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences to improve glacier science and adaptation :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.

🌡️ Why It’s Trending: The Urgent Crisis of Glacier Loss

Glaciers worldwide are melting faster than ever. According to Reuters, since 1975, glaciers have shed approximately 9,000 gigatons of ice—comparable to an ice sheet nearly the size of Germany—contributing significantly to sea level rise :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.

On World Glacier Day (March 21), the WMO warned that five of the last six years have been the most rapid for glacier retreat on record. These changes threaten water and food supplies for more than 2 billion people in glacier-dependent regions :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.

💧 Real-world Impacts You Should Know

• Water security: Meltwater from glaciers sustains agriculture and hydropower for millions. Rapid loss endangers these systems :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
• Food systems: Two-thirds of irrigated agriculture rely on glacier-fed water, placing rural and mountain communities under increasing stress :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.
• Natural hazards: Glacial retreat fuels avalanches, glacial lake outburst floods, and unstable terrain :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.
• Sea level rise: Melting glaciers are second only to thermal expansion in driving global sea levels higher :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.

📅 Key Events & Milestones in 2025

• January 21: Official launch of IYGP at UNESCO–WMO :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
• March 21: First-ever World Day for Glaciers, with UN events in Paris and New York :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.
• May 29–June 1: High-level Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.

✅ How You Can Help: Turning Awareness Into Action

This isn’t just a UN campaign—it’s a call to global responsibility:

• 👉 Spread the word: Share facts, videos, and graphics about glacier decline.
• 👉 Support policies: Push for stronger climate action at climate summits and local governments.
• 👉 Get involved: Participate in glacier-monitoring citizen science and conservation projects.

📊 Trending Keywords Driving the Conversation

International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, World Glacier Day 2025, glacier melt crisis, UN climate action, glaciers and water security.

📌 In Summary

The UN’s declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation follows the alarming loss of glacier mass—9,000 gigatons since 1975—and five of the past six years being record-retreat years. With glaciers melting faster than ever, the initiative seeks to mobilize science, policy, and grassroots action to protect the world’s natural “water towers”.

This is a high-impact, awareness-driving story—ideal for platforms like Jagrukta 360 aiming to inform, engage, and inspire real-world climate action.