A study published today found that glaciers in the tropical Andes of South America have shrunk by almost half over the past 30 years. The article, published in the journal Remote Sensing, concludes that climate change and the increase in fires in the Amazon in recent years are responsible for this decline.
The research involved experts from the MapBiomas Amazônia initiative in collaboration with the INPE (National Institute for Space Research), the National Agrarian University La Molina and the Institute for Research on Glaciers and Mountain Ecosystems, the last two from Peru.
In the period studied (19902020), the Andes lost 42% of their glaciers, according to satellite mapping conducted by the researchers. The role of fires in the Amazon in exacerbating the problem stems from the fact that they produce the socalled black carbon that fires produce.
Soot is a form of carbon that results from the oxygenfree combustion of wood.
Over the past 30 years, glacier retreat in Bolivia has been proportionally greater, with 42.61% loss. Peru, which has the largest glacial area in the Andean countries, lost 41.19%.
Glaciers less than 5,000 meters above sea level were affected the most, losing 80.25% over the years of observation.
The study highlights that, in addition to the ecological and economic impacts, the shrinking of the glaciers represents a loss of cultural assets, since the mountains are an integral part of the traditions of the local people. The study warns of the need for joint action by the region’s national governments to tackle the climate crisis and mitigate the impact of the thaw.