NEWS

• The Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina, long considered a stable anomaly amid global ice loss, is now thinning at an accelerated rate since 2019.
• Located in Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the glacier stretches nearly 20 miles and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually.
• Glaciers are critical for freshwater supply, agriculture, and regulating climate patterns; their retreat can threaten the water and food security of billions worldwide.

HIGHLIGHTS

Why It Stayed Stable Until Now

• Geographical advantage: The glacier’s valley shape has historically allowed more ice formation at high altitudes than melting at lower levels.
• Bedrock anchor: A ridge beneath the glacier has acted as a natural pin, preventing its retreat. Radar soundings show this ridge extends deeply into the ice.
• Loss of ice could eventually cause the glacier to detach from the ridge, float, and become more vulnerable to rapid disintegration.

What’s Happening Now

• Satellite measurements reveal rapid thinning since 2019, cause still uncertain.
• If current rates persist, feedback loops could accelerate melting further.
• Scientists warn against declaring irreversible loss yet — recovery is possible if global warming is curbed.

Wider Context & Global Implications

• The Andes are warming due to climate change, intensifying glacier retreat.
• A UN report warns that melting glaciers threaten water and food security for 2 billion people.
• Glacier melt also contributes to sea level rise, with potential catastrophic effects on coastal populations by century’s end.

Did You Know?

• Perito Moreno, also called the “White Giant,” formed during the last Ice Age ~18,000 years ago.
• Known for spectacular ice calving events, it has been a major tourist draw since at least 1917.
• Switzerland became the first country to lose all its glaciers due to climate change.