NEWS United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, and 21 March is the first-ever World Day for Glaciers. This day, we acknowledge the rapid melting glaciers, and the research conducted to preserve them.
In December 2022, the United Nations (UN) declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, and made 21 March the World Day for Glaciers, starting 2025. The aim is to raise global awareness about the critical role of glaciers in the climate system, as well as share knowledge and address issues related to accelerated melting of glaciers and its consequences.
According to the UN, Glaciers are highly essential to the ecosystem. They are sources of freshwater, providing water for millions of people, and they support biodiversity. However, due to global warming, these important resources are under threat. As the temperatures are rising, the glaciers melt at an alarming rate, which will have serious impacts on our environment, economy, as well as animals and people. Melting glaciers cause water scarcity, rising sea levels and increased risks of natural disasters, which in turn affect the world’s ecosystems, human livelihoods, and economies.
As the Swedish Arctic University, Arctic issues are of great importance for Umeå University. The university has a vast research community dedicated to research within the fields of global warming, climate change, permafrost and melting glaciers. Some worth mentioning are the three centres Arctic Centre, Climate Impact Research Centre (CIRC) and Várdduo – Centre for Sámi Research, who are prominent in providing platforms for researchers within these fields. Since the beginning of the year, the European Polar Board (EPB) is also situated at the University.
Umeå University also has partnerships and memberships with international Arctic organisations, such as the University of the Arctic (UArctic) and The Arctic Six.