The United Nations warns of accelerating changes in the global cryosphere

The United Nations called for urgent international coordination to address the consequences of climate change in terms of shrinking sea ice, melting glaciers, and rapid and permanent changes in the global cryosphere .The French Press Agency reported a spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization (Claire Nullis) as telling reporters today: “With the unanimous consent of the member states of the organization that are currently meeting, a decision was approved that makes the study of modifications in the cryosphere, which is the surface in which water is in an icy state, one of its main priorities” (Nullis) explained that this decision was made in light of the increasing impacts of shrinking sea ice, melting glaciers, ice caps, permafrost and snow on sea level rise and the associated risks to water security, economies and ecosystems. She also noted that during the discussions, delegates from around the world from small island nations in the Caribbean, Africa, Canada and others expressed concern about rapid and in some cases permanent changes in the cryosphere ” we need more observation to monitor the scale and speed of change and we need to think seriously about managing water resources,” (Nullis) added, noting that “more than a billion people depend on water that comes from melting snow and glaciers and when the glaciers disappear, we have to think.” What will happen to the security of the water supply for these people?” On his part, the Secretary-General of the Organization (Finn Petteri Taalas) indicated in a statement that the issue of the cryosphere “is not only a hot topic for the Arctic and Antarctica, but a global problem.”

Leen Al-Salman