安第斯山脈冰川萎縮威脅著 9000 萬人的供水，如果不採取緊急氣候行動，到 2100 年，冰川可能會幾乎完全消失。在2025年3月21日於巴黎由聯合國教科文組織主辦的首屆世界冰川日上，謝菲爾德大學的科學家警告說，安第斯山脉冰川的快速消融威胁着南美洲9000萬人的水源。

Located high in the Andes Mountains and spanning Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, these glaciers are an important source of fresh water. They support residential water, hydroelectric power, agriculture, industry and animal husbandry.

A new policy brief, entitled The Future of the Andean Water Tower, was launched at the event, co-created by researchers from the University of Sheffield and the University of Newcastle. The report highlights how glacier retreat is reducing water availability and posing a growing threat to water supply and food security for communities in the region.

安第斯山脈的冰川每年變薄 0.7 米，比全球平均速度快 35%。根據預測的一些最壞情況，這可能導致熱帶安第斯山脈地區的冰川幾乎全部消失，山脈其他地區的冰川覆蓋率也將減少一半以上。謝菲爾德大學地理與規劃學院的傑里米·埃利博士表示：“第一份政府間氣候變化專門委員會（IPCC）氣候變化報告於 1990 年發佈，自那時起，我們幾乎沒有採取任何措施來遏制導致氣候變化的全球碳排放。

"Our briefing shows that what scientists have predicted for years is now becoming a reality, and that if we want to save and protect the glaciers on which so many people depend for water, we must act quickly."

Climate change is leading to higher temperatures, more frequent and severe extreme weather events, less snowfall, and increased droughts in the Andes, all of which threaten the stability of Andean glaciers as a source of water and the safety of the people who depend on them.

報告指出，近幾十年來冰川萎縮速度加快，2000 年後冰損失率達到前所未有的水準，同時全球溫室氣體排放量也出現增加。

For the 5-year Paris Agreement – the global climate change treaty – countries around the world agreed to commit to taking action to limit global temperature rise to 0.0°C, as further increases in global average temperatures would lead to extreme weather events, water scarcity, reduced crop yields, economic losses, rising sea levels and greater damage to nature.

However, this target has already been exceeded by a few months in 2100, and recent projections of a temperature rise of more than 0°C suggest that parts of the Andes will be completely or almost completely ice-free by 0.

In addition to curbing global carbon emissions, effective water management is also necessary due to changes in human and natural systems, as well as changes in supply and demand, affecting the region, the briefing emphasis.

As glaciers shrink and water supplies dwindle, many countries will be forced to alleviate this problem by building large water storage infrastructure, such as dams. However, this will require significant investment that poorer countries and those most vulnerable to climate change may not be able to afford.

"The loss of ice in the Andes requires urgent attention, as it will increase the pressure on the freshwater resources on which downstream communities and large cities depend," said Dr. Eli.

"With temperatures in the Andes expected to rise by 5.0°C by the end of the century, the risks and hazards of climate change will threaten the water and food security of millions of people. There are targets that have been set that have not been met, but the only way to protect glaciers is to drastically reduce carbon emissions. The situation is dire and requires global cooperation to combat climate change and make a meaningful difference to the world's most vulnerable communities. ”

編譯自/ScitechDaily