Andes Mountains Glaciers Facing Catastrophic Danger
The Andes Mountains in South America are famous for their expansive size that covers the majority of the continent. Researchers and scientists have explored the mountains for decades, discovering new species of animals or plants every so often. Most people are unaware of the impacts these mountains have for the continent and the communities thriving around them. More specifically, not just the mountains, but the glaciers on the tips of them. Slowly, the glaciers on the Andes Mountains and other mountains over the world have been melting and contributing to climate change issues. While the melting of glaciers was not natural but due to man-made consequences, the consequences left in South American communities have been felt at a strong enough level- enough to be brought awareness to.
What do glaciers do for us?
While we might think of glaciers as a colder part of the mountain where there is snow and containing difficult terrain, glaciers are actually beneficial reservoirs of water during the summer heat. While providing a separate ecosystem for winter animals, glaciers contribute water to the ecosystem during dryer months of the year. Most of the water species in this environment are provided nutrients through the runoff of river water that needs to be at a colder temperature to thrive. Some may even be exposed to being endangered due to the water lacking coldness, which is not the level they need it to be at to survive. Approximately 2.1% of Earth’s freshwater is stored in glaciers- which doesn’t seem sufficient, but is crucial to the planet.They provide drinking water, irrigate crops and help generate hydroelectric power to their communities. Regular glacier melting can help to contribute to the delivery of nutrients to the surrounding bodies of water (rivers, oceans, etc). Glaciers are natural climate change reductors that may act as a protective layer from the heat of the sun, reducing the amount of excess heat we feel on Earth is reflected into space and keeping us cooler.
Dangers of glacial melting?
Further melting of the glaciers can cause the rise of sea levels at a catastrophic rate with the way climate change is progressing. They can be quite threatening, leading to avalanches and danger to the highways in close proximity to the sea. Although there is no certain way to calculate how much the sea would rise, scientists have shown proof of significant sea level rise due to glacier loss in some years. If it were to all melt, the global sea level would rise approximately 70 meters (230 feet), which would flood every coastal city on the planet. Depending on the rapidness of how water is melting, there could be huge effects on ocean currents and general temperature changes. Places like Antarctica and Greenland greatly influence the amount of freezing cold glacial-melt water that enters a warmer part of the ocean, which slows down ocean currents. Due to water being stored on land, runoff from land will increase sea level rise and contribute to other consequences like coastal erosion or climate hazards like hurricanes, typhoons, or more storm surges.
As of currently, 95% of the oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic has already disappeared, while researchers predict other glaciers will finish disappearing by the year 2100. The loss of ice has currently reached about 335 billion tonnes per year, which is 30% of the current rate of ocean growth. While sea ice withers away and oceans get temperate, an escalated ocean current can disturb thousands of ecosystems for humans and wildlife. Communities that rely heavily on fisheries can be deeply affected by the warmer water spreading and decrease of fish populations. Large sums of disaster recovery can get higher after climate disasters may become more frequent. Wildlife like walrus or polar bears are losing their homes intensely while trying to have more land time- only leading to higher conflicts between people and wildlife.
We must keep in mind that this occurs due to human emissions and fossil fuels being burned into the atmosphere, making everything heated. Summers get hotter, winters are shorter, rain is more frequent, etc. The combination of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gasses involving transport and deforestation has caused glaciers to melt. On the other hand, because the ocean absorbs 90% of the Earth’s warmth, this will affect the stability of cycles. If we’re diving into more of the science, we can try to understand more of the work behind the process of melting. When glaciers melt, a tremendous weight is lifted from the ground that once supported them. Huge amounts of water, previously stored as ice, flow toward the ocean. With this ongoing movement of land, unburdened earth rebounds and rises, leading to affect the predictions for sea level rise under future climate warming scenarios. With this information, it’s easier to understand the severe consequences of this change continuing.
So what’s happening in Latin America?
Now that we have more background information on glaciers, we can understand why Latin America is affected by ongoing climate disasters. Communities in the Andes regions rely heavily on the mountain’s resources and use the adapted species to help them manage the environment they’ve been connected to, like llamas. The communities have experienced water shortages and started affecting the hydro-electric power generation, which impacts the sustainable circumstances they have adapted to over decades. The retreat of glaciers has forced communities among the Andes to adapt. Around Tuni Condoriri, trout farming has emerged as an alternative to raising llama. Experience suggests it can help promote the sustainable use of water resources in mountainous regions, and help boost incomes, even though it may cause pollution and impact biodiversity. Places like Venezuela may be one of the first countries to lose all of the glaciers that preside within the region, where scientists have researched how brisk the process is occurring at.
According to BBC.com, researchers have stated even though a portion of loss is already “locked in”, rapidly lowering CO2 emissions could save other glacial deposits, which will have enormous benefits for livelihoods, energy, including water and food security. Venezuela’s glacier force is down to the last ice field, which has even become too small to be classified as a glacier, according to scientists. The geographic location of the Andes mountains and their proximity to the equator can make the ice caps at higher risk to global warming. In this region, we must take notice it includes parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela- that have seen a temperature rise of at least 0.10 degrees Celsius over the past seven decades. While we know of the negative consequences for what is happening in the Andes, there is still time to focus on what the government is devising and any plans in progress for trying to reverse the damage.
Solutions?
While the process of melting has increased progressively as time goes on, there are things we can do to help the Andes mountains- mountains disintegrating in front of our eyes all over the planet! Collectively, we must be able to reduce carbon emissions and naturally increase their thickness again. We’re well aware of our greenhouse gas emissions in the stratosphere, causing the majority of climate change. So to change the impact of the ocean, we should focus on land restoration. More investment into renewable energy sources and reducing deforestation will improve our chances drastically.
There are also countries in Latino America with the right mindset: The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to declare 2025 the International Year of Glacier’s Preservation. This would include investing into smarter water management and data resilience to build resilience, partnering with the Adaptation at Altitude Program, which is trying to increase the resilience of mountain communities and ecosystems to climate change. Another one involves the Community of Practice Adapting in the Andes to highlight workable adaptation solutions. Researchers have found so many ways for us to help terminate the melting by doing things inland that may benefit the glaciers. It’s up to us to keep the ones we have in our generation and implement policies to our government with spreading awareness!
Khaleb Hernandez | Environmental CorrespondentHello everyone! I am currently a senior studying Environmental Science and Policy in Tampa, Florida. Before I moved to the United States, I was raised in Guatemala City- where I was exposd to an abundance of environmental injustices and experiences. With my mother being from Colombia, I’ve traveled to various places around Central and South America to realize there are many topics not being addressed for the well-being of smaller communities, mostly indigenous or communities living under the poverty line. Hearing people’s stories inspired me to dig deeper into how these communities have adapted to their way of living, including lacking the basic resources we have access to in our daily lives. With Latina Republic, I aspire to share their stories and bring awareness to their unique circumstances, including giving them the attention they need in all forms. I am confident sharing stories will attract a greener future and more opportunities to guide the right people into improving the ways of living in Central and South America.