Glaciers in the Andes at Lowest Level for 130,000 Years

6th August 2024

Last modified on August 10th, 2024

That’s the finding from a research project conducted by scientists from the University of California.

The Andes mountain range in South America is so high that there are permanent glaciers in many places, even in tropical areas.

Almost all of the world’s tropical glaciers are in the Andes.

The findings have been published in the Science Journal – see here for more.

Mountain glaciers in the Andes are almost certainly the smallest they have been for at least 130,000 years, a study of rocks exposed by the melting ice has found.

“This shocked us, frankly,” says Andrew Gorin from the University of California, Berkeley.

“I think this is clear evidence that at least one region in the world has now departed the hospitable climatic conditions that have fostered the development of human civilisation.”

The retreat of glaciers is already having an impact on farming, water supplies, sanitation and hydropower.