Global glacier preservation efforts to be discussed in Tajikistan

Tajikistan is hosting the International Conference on Glacier Preservation from May 29 to June 1, 2025, in Dushanbe, aiming to highlight the urgent need to halt glacial retreat and elevate the issue on the global climate agenda.

The United Nations has designated 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation to highlight the importance of glaciers.

The Dushanbe International Conference on Glaciers' Preservation is organized by the government  of Tajikistan with the support of the United Nations and other partners - the Asian Development Bank, UNESCO, UN Development Programme and World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The conference will culminate in the release of the Dushanbe Glaciers Declaration—a landmark document outlining actionable commitments, collaborative initiatives, and strategic recommendations to be presented at the UN Climate Change conference, COP30 in Brazil.

Key topics of discussion will include glacier preservation, water cooperation, the role of cryosphere monitoring in water allocation, sea-level rise, and transboundary collaboration. Other sessions will explore scientific monitoring, the socio-economic impact of glacier melt, and strategies to catalyze action through global frameworks and partnerships. 

Prime Minister of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda said: "This conference represents a significant step in implementing the United Nations resolution declaring 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation. Glaciers, which account for 75% of the world's freshwater resources, are vanishing due to climate change. Urgent and collective global action is essential to confront this crisis."

In Tajikistan alone, more than 1,000 glaciers have completely disappeared over the past few decades. One of the most serious consequences of this melting is the formation and expansion of glacial lakes, which significantly increase the risk of catastrophic flooding. Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) have already caused loss of life and widespread infrastructure damage in mountain regions such as the Andes, Himalayas, and Alps, highlighting the global urgency of addressing glacier retreat.

“The WMO State of the Global Climate 2024 report revealed that for the third consecutive year, glaciers retreated in all 19 regions.  Five of the past six years have witnessed the most rapid glacier retreat on record,”  said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

“The death of a glacier is more than just the loss of ice. We need to strengthen glacier monitoring and protection through models and observations. We need more data sharing and more political will. We need to bridge science and services and forecasts and action,” she said.

The conference participants will endeavor to identify practical steps to advance scientific research and expand access to data while addressing gaps to improve hydro-meteorological and climate services, optimizing cryosphere earth observations as well as establish roadmaps for climate risks and early warning systems specific to mountainous regions. 

In addition, the conference will explore concrete measures toward establishing a United Nations Trust Fund to support global glacier preservation efforts by the end of this year.

Establishment of a UN Trust Fund in support of activities for glaciers’ preservation was discussed during the meeting between Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon and ADB Vice-President Yingming Yang held in Dushanbe on May 28. The talks reportedly focused on expanding the partnership between Tajikistan and the ADB, with particular attention to new areas of cooperation amid climate change challenges.

“Melting glaciers threaten lives on an unprecedented scale – including the livelihoods of more than 2 billion people in Asia, alone,” said Asian Development Bank Vice-President Yingming Yang. “As a trusted partner, ADB is committed to helping Asia and the Pacific tackle this most complex of challenges: with adaptation investments and an enduring commitment to continue helping our region swap fossil fuels for clean energy in a way that does not compromise energy access or economic development.”

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