By 2100, half of the glaciers could disappear …

By 2100, half of the glaciers on the UNESCO World Heritage List may disappear, including Glacier National Park in Santa Cruz, if the level of gas emissions caused by global warming the planet is not reduced, warned a study prepared by experts published today.

The emergency affects 21 of the 46 glaciers on the list of international organizations, according to the study "The disappearance of World Heritage glaciers as a cornerstone of nature conservation in a changing climate", which badyzes data from the global glacier inventory and uses computer models to badyze the current state of World Heritage glaciers, their recent evolution and the evolution of their projected mbad throughout the 21st century. The report was prepared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), based in Switzerland and advisor to the United Nations for Environmental Affairs.

"The loss of these iconic glaciers would be a tragedy and could have serious consequences on the availability of aquatic resources, sea level rise and other weather events," said Peter Shadie, director of the IUCN Fisheries Program, in a statement. World Heritage. To mitigate the "unprecedented decline" that would imply, "States must strengthen their resolve to fight climate change and intensify their efforts to preserve glaciers for future generations," he added.

The lead author of the study, Jean-Baptiste Bosson, pointed out that in order to preserve the glaciers, it was necessary to "urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions", as it was not necessary to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. is that as well as we will avoid irreversible damage "that could have serious natural, social, economic and migratory consequences".

Other World Heritage sites at risk include the Monte Perdido National Park in the Pyrenees (Spain and France) and popular natural destinations such as Jakobshavn Isbrae in Greenland, the Grosser Aletschgletscher in the Alps, the Watertorn Peace Park International Glacier (United States), Rocky Mountains (Canada), Khumbu Glacier in the Himalayas (Nepal).

Even the most optimistic forecasts are alarming, experts said. Even though greenhouse gas emissions have significantly decreased, the study considers that "eight of these glacier areas do not have any salvation." The report also conducted the first inventory of World Heritage glaciers and estimates the existence of 19,000 such ice mbades in the 46 reserves on the UNESCO list.

Glaciers cover about 10% of the Earth's crust, up from 30% in recent geological epochs. They play a key role in the hydrological cycle as large reserves in which more than 60% of the water accumulates. Gentle of the Earth, details the document.