Glacier Futures: Linking knowledge, communities, and policy for climate resilience

  Video  

Glaciers are vanishing at an unprecedented rate - up to 46% of global glacier volume may disappear by 2100 (under a high-emission scenario). These changes are giving rise to entirely new post-glacial landscapes, with profound implications for biodiversity, water management including transboundary relations, carbon storage, and human societies. The question is: how can science, community action, and policy work together to respond?

Join us for an engaging session where we will explore:

• The latest research on glacier changes and the potential of emerging post-glacial ecosystems as biodiversity refuges and carbon sinks.
• The critical role of communities - particularly youth and Indigenous Peoples - in shaping public understanding and driving advocacy on glacier conservation.
• How IUCN is preparing to mobilise global action for glaciers through a new initiative to be launched at the Congress in Abu Dhabi.

Speakers:

• Jean-Baptiste Bosson (Founder of Marge Sauvage and Lead on Ice & Life Project) – Sharing new findings on global glacier loss, and why governance frameworks must catch up with the reality of rapidly changing landscapes.
• Marcela Fernández (Founder of Cumbres Blancas Colombia) – Bringing a powerful human perspective on glacier loss, from grassroots storytelling to high-impact advocacy.
• James Dalton (Head of Water and Wetlands Team at IUCN) – Introducing IUCN’s upcoming Glacier Initiative and how members can get involved.