About 70 percent of Earth’s freshwater exists as snow or ice and glacier runoff is vital for drinking water, biodiversity, agriculture, industry and hydropower. Nearly 2 billion people—including many Indigenous Peoples—depend on water from mountains for their essential daily needs, livelihoods and cultural practices. 

Mountain communities in developing countries are often among the world’s poorest and around half already do not have enough food for normal growth, development and a healthy life. Changes in glacier and snow melt rates affect their ability to grow crops and increase the risk of floods and landslides. Today over 15 million people globally are highly vulnerable to flooding from glacier lakes.

Many Indigenous Peoples and mountain communities revere glaciers as the abode of gods and spirits, sacred sources of water, and symbols of identity. 18 000 glaciers in 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites are losing 58 billion tonnes of ice annually. By 2050, one-third of glaciers in these sites is expected to disappear.

Many more glaciers will vanish without immediate, ambitious efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and adopt adaptation strategies. Youth-led initiatives and combining Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge with science can guide policies on protected areas, sustainable land use, and early warning systems to address water supply disruptions and hazards from melting snow and ice.