Colombia’s snow-peaked glaciers are fading fast and may completely disappear in 30 years according to a Thursday report from Colombia’s Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM).
“We lost in 30 years, 57 percent of our glacier mass due to climate change…if current trends continue…it is estimated that in about 30 years there will be no snow in the country,” said IDEAM Director, Ricardo Lozano.
The report highlighted glacier trends over the previous 160 years. Since 1850, 85 percent of total glacier mass has been lost. Colombia is reportedly losing between three and five percent of its glaciers each year. Only six glaciers still exist. The largest, which represents 35 percent of Colombia’s total snow mass, is the Sierra Nevada Cocuy located in the northeastern department of Boyaca. According to the report, the “Volcan Nevado del Tolima” — which represents 2 percent of the country’s total snow mass — will most likely be the next to vanish.
Just 0.17 percent of the Andes’ glaciers are in Colombia, while Chile and Argentina account for 90 percent. Colombia accounts for 2 percent of tropical Andean glaciers and 36 percent of equatorial glaciers.
The IDEAM report concluded by calling upon the state to get involved and “become the force to care [for] and respect the environment we still have.”
Sources
- Los Nevados en Colombia se pierden (CFGG)
- De 17 nevados que tenía Colombia apenas quedan seis y desaparecerán en 30 años (rcn radio)
- IDEAM le entrega al país el documento más importante sobre glaciares (IDEAM)
View Colombia’s Disappearing Glaciers in a larger map
