On March 21, we mark the World Day for Glaciers to raise the awareness of these massive frozen rivers that hold 70% of the world’s freshwater and serve as crucial indicators of climate change. As part of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation-2025: global leaders, scientists, and policymakers will gather at the United Nations in New York to highlight the importance and to strengthen monitoring worldwide.
Glaciers have disappeared at an alarming rate. Iceland has created the world’s first Glacier Graveyard on the Seltjarnarnes Peninsula, a striking tribute to ice lost due to climate change. Featuring memorial tombstones for vanished glaciers like Okjökull; this initiative serves as a powerful call to action and to recognize the urgency of glacier loss.
Lifeng Li – Director of FAO Land and water division urges the improving efficiency of the use of water and to safeguard these precious resources. Glaciers and ice sheets store about 70% of the global freshwater– they are thus key for the global water consumption and security. Agriculture accounts for 70% of global freshwater withdrawals. It holds a key role and responsibility to ensure both food and water security in the future, as well as in safeguarding critical ecosystems such as glaciers.
Happy World Water Day!
Related link:
World Day for Glaciers – A Call to Action | United Nations
Iceland’s Glacier Graveyard: A Warning from a Melting World | United Nations
World Water Day 2025–Glacier Preservation–Address by Lifeng Li, Director FAO Land and Water Division
EU’s Key Role in Global Stability – UN Chief & President of the European Council – Press Stakeout
