High Mountain Glaciers on the Agenda

The conference which is hosted by The Centre for ice, climate & ecosystems at the Norwegian Polar Institute is taking place 8-10. June, 2009

The idea is that participants and scientists will get the opportunity to discuss their latest research on high-mountain glacier melts and the consequent effects on downstream areas.

Advice for the policy makers
The aim of the conference is to bring together scientists studying the cryosphere in the Himalayas and Andes regions with scientists working on the downstream effects of glacier melt as well as with researchers with expertise from other regions.

Despite possibly increased sensitivity of high-mountain glaciers to climate change, and the consequent impact on society, glacier observations in high-mountain regions are scarce.

The policymakers who must respond to the changes need the best available data to provide workable solutions for the adaptation and mitigation of these impacts. The need for improved hydrologic-process and ice-dynamic models for more accurate predictions, is urgent. One of the hopes is that this conference will provide recommendations.

Foto: Tom Schandy
Overveldende landskap og mektige fjell - her fra den antarktiske halvøya.

Acceleration of glacier mass loss
The mountain cryosphere is extremely sensitive to climate change. The effects of global warming such as shrinking glaciers, a shortened snow-cover season, thawing permafrost, etc., are clearly visible in most mountain regions. Glaciers are the source of water for over half of humanity.
Recent evidence suggests an acceleration of glacier mass loss in several key regions due to climate change.

Regions such as the Andes and the Himalayas face the prospect of increased flooding from more melting and glacial lake outbursts, followed by a decrease in water supplies to large population centres.

The adverse impact of these changes is limited not only to the mountainous regions themselves, but the far downstream effects may be disastrous. Glacier and ice-sheet melt in the northern regions contribute substantially to recent sea-level rise and may alter global ocean circulation.
See the porgram and find out more about the conference here

(source: the Norwegian Polar Institute)