Scientists issue urgent warning after discovering major threat in the Arctic: 'We need to protect them'

By now, global warming is a common talking point, but what does it tangibly mean for us when temperatures rise and glaciers start to melt? A new study led by the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne (EPFL) revealed what glacier melt could bring about on our planet by the end of the century.

What's happening?

EPFL scientists established a link between the microbial ecosystems on glaciers and the nutrients in the water of glacier-fed streams. The researchers believe that without the extreme cold of glacial environments, the bacteria found in those regions will likely die out.

"These microorganisms … purify the water, recycle nutrients and regulate important cycles like those involving nitrogen and carbon," said Tom Battin, who co-authored the study. "Ultimately, they support the food chain and are crucial to many environmental equilibria."

Since glaciers hold almost 70% of the world's freshwater, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the loss of these microbial systems would trickle down to the human communities sustained by glacier-fed water. 

Why is glacial melt important?

You don't need to live near the Arctic to feel the effects of glacier melt.

In addition to threatening helpful, water-purifying bacteria, melting glaciers risk releasing other frozen microbes into meltwater, some of which may result in disease for local populations.

For instance, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2022 encountered several unfamiliar viruses trapped in a 15,000-year-old iceberg. When ice melts, the water runoff may continue to carry potentially infectious microbes.

The rising sea levels worldwide also jeopardize coastal homes, buildings, and roads. While changing global temperatures may not directly cause extreme weather events such as hurricanes and earthquakes, the higher water levels exacerbate their damage.

"Higher background water levels mean that deadly and destructive storm surges, such as those associated with Hurricane Katrina, 'Superstorm' Sandy, and Hurricane Michael, push farther inland than they once did," wrote Rebecca Lindsey of Climate.gov.

What's being done about glacial melt?

There's no spot treatment for glaciers, but countries and organizations worldwide are working to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and implement stronger climate policies to mitigate the effects of climate change. Several businesses are holding themselves to a clean-energy mission, foregrounding renewable energy and water conservation.

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You can join the effort against climate change from your own home. Opting for EVs or public transportation, repurposing your waste to avoid landfill buildup, choosing energy-efficient appliances, and installing solar panels can all help you lower your contributions to climate change.

"If we don't want to lose these irreplaceable habitats as glaciers melt," said Massimo Bourquin, lead author of the EPFL study, "we need to protect them."

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