According to John Pomeroy, a leading snow and ice hydrologist, Peyto Glacier in Banff National Park is melting at an alarming rate and may disappear within a decade. The glacier has retreated about 450 meters since 2019, with some areas losing over 50 meters in vertical ice thickness over the past five years.
Peyto Glacier isn’t the only glacier in the Canadian Rockies that is rapidly retreating; the Athabasca Glacier, which makes up part of the world-famous Columbia Icefields, has retreated 1.5 km and lost half its volume in the last 125 years. The rate of retreat accelerates each year.
Speaking at the launch of the United Nations International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, Pomeroy said many glaciers in the Canadian Rockies will disappear within this lifetime, and the mountain snowpacks that supply the rivers are one-third lower than usual this winter.
Pomeroy described the changes to Peyto Glacier as “dramatic.” He noted that recent events, including the 2021 heat dome and the exceptional heat and snow drought of 2023, have contributed significantly to the glacier’s rapid decline.
Most Studied
Peyto Glacier, located about 44 kilometres north of Lake Louise, is one of the world’s most extensively studied glaciers. It’s part of the Canadian Rockies Hydrological Observatory, which includes 35 high-elevation stations operated by the University of Saskatchewan’s Global Water Futures Observatories.
Mountain glaciers are crucial in water storage, releasing meltwater during hot, dry periods. As glaciers recede, this vital ecosystem service is being lost. Pomeroy emphasizes that preserving glaciers requires increasing spring and summer snowfall, necessitating a cooler climate. According to Pomeroy, limiting greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels is the most effective way to achieve this.
“We need to limit greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning – this is the only effective way to preserve glaciers.”
Impacts of the Loss
The impact of glacier loss extends beyond local ecosystems. Glaciers and ice sheets hold about 70% of the world’s freshwater. In 2023, glaciers experienced their most significant water loss in over 50 years, marking the second consecutive year of ice loss across all glaciated regions worldwide.
Whether you believe that the heating climate is human-caused or not, the climate is becoming increasingly warmer, with each successive year over the last ten years breaking global heat temperatures and 2024 being the hottest year in recorded history.
The heating climate is causing rapid glacier retreat, glacier lake outburst floods, snow droughts, loss of sea ice, rising sea levels, permafrost thaw, and wildfires. These changes pose significant risks to agriculture, energy production, industry, and water supply.
Immediate Action
Pomeroy, like the vast majority of scientists, believes that humans cause a warming climate. In his presentation, Pomeroy called for immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the short-term impacts of “cryospheric destruction.” The cryosphere refers to Earth’s ice in all forms, including snow on the ground, glaciers, and lake and river ice.
Pomeroy suggests that restoring glaciers will take decades but stresses the need for urgent policy changes and expanded measurements to track changes and provide early warnings of extreme events.
During the conference, Corinne Schuster-Wallace, executive director of the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan, highlighted the human dimensions of glacier loss. She emphasized the need to understand the impacts on physical, mental, and social well-being and the economic implications for agriculture, hydroelectric generation, and tourism.
The International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation aims to kickstart renewed efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase science and adaptation strategies for a warmer, less icy world.
Pomeroy hopes that 2025 will be remembered as a tipping point where humanity changed course to save glaciers, ourselves, and our planet.
We have compiled a list of the must-see Alberta glaciers; let’s hope these glaciers will still be around for your kids and grandkids to visit.
