From Greenland to the Himalayas, the planet's glaciers are shrinking.

The status of these glaciers is a sign of the impending dangers associated with a warming climate.

What's happening?

Temperatures are rising around the globe.

A study from Vilnius University in Lithuania demonstrated how shrinking glaciers can alter ecosystems and contribute to rising global sea levels, Greater Kashmir reported. The study utilized satellite imaging technology to collect data on the amount of ice melt that the glaciers underwent.

The study showed that the Jakobshavn Glacier in Greenland was moving more slowly than in any previous decade. Slow glacier movement is a bad sign as far as changes in climate because it usually means that the glacier is melting quicker than it is flowing.

People sometimes think of glaciers as massive, solid chunks of ice, but this is not entirely true.

"Glaciers are not fixed, frozen bodies of ice. They are dynamic, sensitive, and changing," said Vilnius University assistant professor Laurynas Jukna.

Glaciers are more like ice rivers that flow downhill under the weight of their own ice. When the glacier slows, the ice thins and melts to the degree that it can't propel itself forward.

Why are melting glaciers important?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate.gov, glaciers have shrunk every year for the past 37 years of tracking. This coincides with rising sea levels. As the NOAA notes, "By the end of the century, global mean sea level is likely to rise at least one foot (0.3 meters) above 2,000 levels, even if greenhouse gas emissions follow a relatively low pathway in coming decades."

In regions such as the Andes, the Himalayas, and the Rockies, millions of people rely on seasonal glacier meltwater for their drinking water. Shrinking glaciers store less ice, resulting in less reliable meltwater in dry seasons.

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Apart from glacier meltwater, rising sea levels are threatening freshwater ecosystems and drinking supplies around the globe.

Higher sea levels and a warming climate can supercharge weather events, making flooding and tides much more hazardous for communities. 

What's being done about melting glaciers?

Many scientists around the world recognize the importance of adapting to these new conditions. For example, researchers at West Virginia University have developed technology to help communities prepare for and recover from severe flooding.

To help mitigate the melting of glaciers, some scientists are developing barriers to prevent warming ocean waters from coming into contact with vulnerable glaciers, especially in Antarctica.

One of the best ways to help protect glaciers is to reduce the amount of dirty energy we consume and work toward a future with less pollution.

"The glaciers are speaking," Jukna's colleague, Elzė Buslavičiūtė, wrote. "The question is: Are we listening?"

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