World Water Day: How You Can Help Conservation Efforts

By Leslie Lee

Douglas Land Conservancy joins the United Nations in celebrating World Water Day on March 22, 2025. This year’s theme revolves around glacier preservation. The primary objective of World Water Day is to raise awareness about the adverse effects of accelerated glacier melting on communities and ecosystems, while simultaneously promoting effective strategies to mitigate this loss.

Glaciers are experiencing unprecedented melting due to the pressing issue of climate change. Since 2023, glaciers have recorded a staggering loss of over 600 Gigatons of water, marking the largest mass loss in the past five decades. (https://library.wmo.int/viewers/69033) The escalating temperatures and prolonged heat waves are the primary drivers of this rapid melting, resulting in longer summers and shorter winters. Consequently, glaciers are melting at an accelerated pace, leading to significant alterations in water flows that contribute to an increase in floods, droughts, landslides, and sea level rise. In addition, the accelerated melting of glaciers plays a substantial role in global sea-level rise, with current sea levels approximately 20 centimeters higher than in 1900.

Glaciers serve as crucial water resources, significantly contributing to oceanic circulation. They regulate heat, carbon dioxide, and nutrients that sustain diverse food webs across the globe. Glaciers, through mountain runoff and snowmelt, provide drinking water to half a billion people, as well as water for agriculture, industry, clean energy production, and the maintenance of healthy ecosystems. Typically, glaciers are replenished with snowfall during the winter and undergo ice loss during the summer. However, the impacts of climate change, including longer summers, shorter winters, heat waves during the summer, reduced snowfall, and decreased rainfall, are leading to profound changes in glaciers. These alterations can have severe consequences for communities and ecosystems, increasing the risk of geohazards, altering regional water availability, and contributing to global sea level rise.

When water becomes scarce, polluted, or when access is unequal or non-existent, tensions can arise between communities and countries. Prosperity and peace are intrinsically linked to access to water. Moreover, glaciers play a vital role in reflecting vast amounts of solar radiation into space, effectively cooling the Earth and acting as a natural shield against excessive warming.

Glacier preservation is crucial for sustaining life and the water cycle. A staggering 70% of Earth’s freshwater exists as snow and ice. Despite being the most abundant resource, water remains a scarce commodity. Approximately 115 million people are forced to drink contaminated water, while over 2.2 billion individuals (one in four) lack access to safe water (WHO/Unicef, 2023). Moreover, about 3.5 billion people (four in ten) lack safely managed sanitation, and 2 billion people lack basic hygiene services, including 65.3 individuals with no facilities at all. Tragically, around 1000 children under five per day succumb to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation. Additionally, 2 billion people reside in countries under water stress, and 3.6 billion face inadequate water access at least once a month annually (WMO, 2021). Water-related diseases account for a staggering 70% of all disaster-related deaths. Since 2000, flood-related disasters have witnessed a concerning 134% increase (WMO, 2021). Only 0.5% of the water on Earth is usable and available as freshwater.

To mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change on glaciers, several strategies must be implemented:
– Continued reduction of global emissions
– Strengthening water resource management
– Improving water infrastructure to store seasonal glacier meltwater and enhance water efficiency and reuse systems
– Developing adaptation plans for vulnerable communities heavily reliant on glaciers for water
– Enhancing disaster response capabilities
– Promoting ecosystem restoration

Individuals can take action to help mitigate glacier melt:
– Save water by turning off the faucet while brushing teeth, doing dishes, and cooking. Opt for a dishwasher instead of hand washing. Consider taking baths instead of showers or reducing shower time.
– Keep pollutants out of water sources
– Support local agriculture
– Protect nature by cleaning up rivers, lakes, and wetlands
– Choose sustainable fashion
– Reduce food waste
– Incorporate plant-based meals into your diet frequently