Scientists and policymakers came together on both sides of the Atlantic last week for the United Nations’ first-ever World Day for Glaciers, an initiative jointly hosted by the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and the UN’s central base in New York. The Polar Initiative Manager for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Salomé Mormentyn, attended the events in the French capital, where she spotlighted the crucial role of involving cryosphere scientists in international dialogue.

Ahead of World Water Day on 22nd March, an annual UN action designed to highlight the importance of freshwater and the issues linked to the sustainable management of resources, the UNESCO offices in Paris and the UN headquarters in New York organised two concurrent events for the first-ever World Day for Glaciers on 20th and 21st March.

Glaciers are increasingly under threat. These vast frozen rivers of ice and snow shape landscapes and serve as one of the major indicators of planetary health, functioning as essential freshwater reservoirs, regulators of sea levels and homes to diverse ecosystems. Indeed, mountainous areas, which include much of the world’s glacial zones, supply between 55 and 60% of global annual freshwater flows. In certain parts of the world, this share rises to 90%.

Rapid glacial retreat has been noted around the world, leading to rising concerns that the meltwater could endanger the water supplies of millions while elevating the risk associated with rising sea levels and natural disasters such as floods and landslides.

The goal of the events in New York and Paris was to provide a meeting place for key stakeholders as part of the first round of the UN’s Decade of Action for Cryospheric Science mobilisation efforts. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, a leading voice in discussions related to the health and future of the world’s cryosphere, sent a delegate to participate in the talks held in the French capital, which focused on ways to finance vital cryospheric research and the need to find additional methods of protecting the world’s frozen zones from climate change.

In a statement released following the Paris event, a spokesperson for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation stated, “The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation contributed to discussions on bridging the financing gap for cryosphere science. Our Polar Initiative Manager, Salomé Mormentyn, emphasised the importance of fostering international collaboration and multi-stakeholder dialogue, ensuring that scientists, policymakers, the private sector and funders work together to turn cryosphere science into real-world solutions.”

In New York, a series of similar high-level discussions took place, featuring UN leaders, government officials and climate experts from around the world. These discussions included scientific presentations featuring the latest research on glacier preservation, policy dialogues exploring international cooperation on water security and the official launch of the UN World Water Development Report 2025, which has been themed High Mountains and Glaciers.

To read the UN World Water Development Report 2025, click here.

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

Photo source: Pixabay