Glacier Futures: Linking Knowledge, Communities and Policy for Climate Resilience

Co-hosted by IUCN and UN Environment Programme, the session brought together science, policy, and community voices to shape a future-ready approach to glacial and post-glacial ecosystems. While up to 70% of glaciers may disappear this century, how we respond now will define the resilience of future ecosystems and communities.

Opening the session, Arnold Kreilhuber, UNEP Regional Director, framed the challenge as an opportunity to rethink resilience across water systems, biodiversity strategies, and community engagement. The session tackled four guiding questions:

• How do we assess and monitor glacial ecosystem transitions?
• What policy instruments can support protection and adaptation?
• Which local and global strategies are proving effective?
• How can partnerships unlock innovation and sustainability?

Session facilitator Ansgar Fellendorf led participants through three thematic blocks, each linking practice, policy, and science.

Block 1: Action & Storytelling

Jean-Baptiste Bosson (Ice & Life Project) shared research showing that up to 46% of global glacier volume may disappear by 2100—but also introduced post-glacial ecosystems as biodiversity refuges and carbon sinks. He stressed the need for governance frameworks to catch up with these emerging landscapes.

Marcela Fernández (Cumbres Blancas Colombia) brought in a powerful human perspective, showcasing how community activism, especially among youth and Indigenous Peoples, is transforming public understanding of glacier loss through storytelling, advocacy, and culture.

Block 2: Policy & Partnerships

Nozanin Rasulova (Tajik Government) shared insights on Tajikistan’s national strategies—such as the State Programme for the Study and Preservation of Glaciers (2010–2030). The country's dependence on glacier-fed hydropower and agriculture makes it acutely vulnerable to glacial loss, but also a leader in regional water diplomacy and ecosystem preservation.

Bolot Moldobekov (Central-Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences) highlighted growing risks such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and emphasized the integration of glacier science into Kyrgyzstan’s National Adaptation Plan.

Block 3: Science & Ecosystem Tools

David Keith (Lead, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, IUCN Red List of Ecosystems) and José Rafael Ferrer-Paris (IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management) presented the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology and Red List of Ecosystems (RLE)—tools that assess collapse risk, including pilot applications to glacial and post-glacial ecosystems in the cryosphere, and are capable to support forward-looking conservation planning. 

Interactive Panel: What’s Next for Glacier Ecosystems?

Moderated by Ansgar Fellendorf, the high-level panel featured Angela Andrade (IUCN CEM), Henk Ovink (Global Commission on the Economics of Water), James Dalton (IUCN), and Musonda Mumba (Ramsar Convention on Wetlands). Their discussion centred on recognizing glacier ecosystems in international frameworks, expanding protection to post-glacial ecosystems, the importance of adaptive transboundary water governance and investment in nature-based solutions. A proposal was raised to explore a global moratorium or treaty on glacier exploitation—particularly for unprotected glaciers—while emphasising the need for cross-border cooperation and ecosystem-based water governance.

James Dalton - the Global Director of Water and Wetlands Team at IUCN - closed the session by emphasising the need to blend credible science with grassroots engagement. He called for enhanced awareness, community science, and the strengthening of global data-sharing networks to guide future protection and restoration efforts. 

The session spotlighted a range of concrete actions and emerging priorities for glacial and post-glacial ecosystem resilience:

• French Ministry for Ecological Transition (supported by Ice & Life Project) committed to placing 100% of its glaciers under strong legal protection by 2030, including dismantling ski infrastructure in vulnerable areas.
• Tajikistan (Government) reaffirmed its national programmes for glacier monitoring, preservation, and climate adaptation.
• IUCN and its commission members are advancing the application of the Red List of Ecosystems assessments to map risks and guide investments and policy action.
• Cumbres Blancas Movement & Glacier Nation continue to mobilise youth-led, community-driven awareness across Latin America.

The session concluded with a consensus on scaling efforts to recognise glacial and post-glacial ecosystems under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and UNFCCC adaptation goals. There was strong support for aligning national policies, finance mechanisms, and global dialogues—culminating in a proposed follow-up dialogue planned for 2025, tied to major events like the IUCN Congress and UNEA-7, to mark the Paris Agreement’s 10th anniversary.

As glacial ecosystems retreat, they also reshape collaboration. This session showed that science, policy, and public engagement can align—not just to manage loss, but to protect what is coming next.