Main content

What will happen if the world's glaciers melt?

Climatologists warn glaciers pose a threat to life in mountain communities.

We hear a lot about how melting glaciers are contributing to sea-level rise but not so much about the impact inland. In places like Tajikistan, glaciers feed rivers and are a significant water source.

As they melt climatologists expect water flows to increase, contributing to a rise in mudslides and floods. But in the long term, the melting ice will lead to water shortages.

We look at mountain communities living near glaciers and try to understand what impact this is having now and what might happen in the future.

What can we do to prepare for the consequences of glacier melt?

Presenters Kate Lamble and Jordan Dunbar are joined by:

Edson RamΓ­rez Rodriguez. glaciologist, University of San AndrΓ©s
Jemma Wadham, professor of glaciology, University of Bristol
Natalya Idrisova, project coordinator, The Little Earth

Reporter: Navruz Karimov
Producers: Darin Graham and Tatyana Movshevich
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Researcher: Matilda Welin
Editor: Emma Rippon
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Mon 21 Feb 2022 21:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Mon 21 Feb 2022 02:32GMT
  • Mon 21 Feb 2022 09:06GMT
  • Mon 21 Feb 2022 13:32GMT
  • Mon 21 Feb 2022 20:06GMT
  • Mon 21 Feb 2022 21:06GMT

Podcast