Which glacier regions are experiencing the worst melting on record?

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Scandinavia, Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago, and North Asia Recorded Their Worst Year for Glacier Melting in 2024

In 2024, glaciers across all 19 monitored regions globally experienced a net loss of mass for the third consecutive year, with Scandinavia, Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, and North Asia specifically recording their worst year on record for glacier melting. This trend contributes to an overall significant reduction in glacier mass worldwide, raising concerns about future freshwater availability.
Record Mass Loss Across All Monitored Regions

The 2024 hydrological year marked the third consecutive year where all 19 of the world's glacier regions reported a net loss of mass. This widespread shrinkage highlights a consistent pattern of glacier retreat driven by climate change. Collectively, these glaciers lost an estimated 450 billion tonnes of mass, according to new data cited by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) from the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS).
Specific Regions Facing Unprecedented Melting

While all regions saw a decline, the WMO specifically noted that glaciers in Scandinavia, Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, and North Asia endured their worst year on record in 2024. This indicates a particularly severe rate of melting in these areas compared to historical observations, surpassing previous records for these specific locations.
Long-Term Glacier Decline and Future Projections

Over the period from 2022 to 2024, the world experienced the largest three-year loss of glaciers on record. Since records began in 1975, glaciers, excluding the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, have lost over 9,000 billion tonnes of ice. Projections suggest that many glaciers in regions such as western Canada and the United States, Scandinavia, central Europe, the Caucasus, and New Zealand may not survive the 21st century if current melting rates continue.
Significance of Glacier Monitoring

The WMO highlighted the importance of continuous monitoring, naming the South Cascade Glacier in Washington state, USA, as its first Glacier of the Year. This glacier has been continuously monitored since the 1950s, providing one of the longest uninterrupted records of glaciological mass balance in the western hemisphere, with measurements dating back to 1958 by the US Geological Survey and even earlier to 1952 by the WGMS.

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Which glacier regions are experiencing the worst melting on record?

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