The evidence of rising global temperatures is all around us. In Mérida, Venezuela, a city once known for icy snow, the last remaining glacier has shrunk to the size of what scientists call an ice field — making Venezuela, as of 2023, the first country to lose all of its glaciers. 

What's happening?

According to Mongabay, Sierra Nevada de Mérida National Park was once home to over 10 notable glaciers, though their sizes began to decrease in the 19th century, and plummeted much quicker in the 1960s onward.

At 75, José Betancourt has summited various glaciers in the park hundreds of times as a guide, mountaineer, and Mérida local. 

"I would not admit that the glaciers of our Sierra Nevada were going to melt," Betancourt told Mongabay, referencing his heyday summiting the glaciers.

La Carona, the last remaining glacier in Venezuela, was once a feat of nature, spanning over 1,100 acres. Now, it's down to less than 5 acres, or about the distance of two football fields.

Why is the glacier loss important?

Increased temperatures and decreased precipitation in the area are the causes for the diminishing glaciers. Around the world, glaciers can be seen dwindling in hordes, directly linked to the effects of human activity on the planet.

With 2024 being the hottest recorded year and with scientists expecting the next five years to continue stealing that record, melting glaciers are the visual embodiment of what is happening to the planet.

Betancourt, reflecting on his life and mountaineering, told Mongabay: "We all knew Mérida as the city of 'the eternal snows.' But now, all that is just a memory."

What can I do to help slow the rate of lost glaciers?

Melting glaciers can be directly tied to increasing temperatures. While fluctuations in temperature and weather have always occurred, the excessive record temperatures, as well as increased natural disasters, point to human activity, such as the burning of dirty fuels. 

Though government interference in Venezuela attempted to protect the glaciers, almost all environmental experts found their action impulsive and ineffective. 

In order to promote environmental protection on a large scale in your nation, vote to elect pro-climate candidates. Furthermore, by educating yourself on critical climate issues, you can better understand how actions in your daily life contribute to environmental destruction and find ways to reroute.

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