From 29-31 May 2025, over 2600 delegates from 90 countries gathered in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, for the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation – a flagship event of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP) 2025. The conference highlighted the urgency of slowing glacier retreat, protecting water resources, and strengthening resilience for mountain and glacier-dependent regions worldwide.

Participants included heads of state, international organizations, scientists, and civil society – all united by urgent concern over the unprecedented retreat of glaciers and its far-reaching consequences for water supplies, biodiversity, food security, natural hazards, and energy. The conference underscored that glaciers are a critical source of freshwater for hundreds of millions of people, and without decisive global action, this essential resource is at risk. Yet alongside this stark warning came a message of hope: with coordinated efforts, humanity can still prevent the loss of up to half of the world’s glaciers. The window of opportunity remains open – but it is rapidly closing.

Reflecting this urgency and optimism, the conference featured wide-ranging discussions across eight forums and twelve thematic sessions. Key themes included disaster risk reduction, innovative financing, community-based adaptation and mitigation, gender inclusion, youth leadership, and the integration of scientific and traditional knowledge.

“Our glaciers are dying. Nepal recently declared the loss of Langtang’s Yala Glacier. Venezuela has become the second country in the world after Slovenia to lose all its glaciers. The death of a glacier means much more than the loss of ice. It is a mortal blow to our ecosystems, economies, and social fabric.” – WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

Strengthening Glacier Monitoring Worldwide

The MRI was proud to support Technical Session 7 on Glacier Monitoring Needs Worldwide, co-organized with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), at which it was represented by Professor Maria Shahgedanova, who leads the MRI’s Mountain Observatories Working Group.

This session focused on the challenges of monitoring mountain systems, particularly at high elevations and in glacierized basins. It stressed that globally, and especially in developing countries, limited resources, costs, remoteness, and fragmented mandates intensify these issues. Key messages included:

• Glacier mass loss is a global risk: affecting ecosystems, water supplies, and livelihoods far beyond mountain regions. International cooperation is vital to strengthen monitoring capacity.
• Both in-situ and space-based observations are needed: Ground-based data remain essential for understanding processes, while satellite observations provide broader spatial coverage. Long-term continuity in both is key.
• Sustained commitment is crucial: High-elevation monitoring stations need stable long-term funding, collaboration across borders, and integration into global initiatives such as the WMO Global Cryosphere Watch.
• Data must be shared openly: Accessible, standardized datasets are essential for disaster risk reduction, water management, and policy development.
• Capacity building and inclusivity matter: Training new generations of scientists, ensuring gender equality, and involving local communities will help sustain future glacier and cryosphere monitoring.

“The MRI’s active role in shaping these discussions reflects its long-standing commitment to advancing mountain observation systems,” said Professor Maria Shahgedanova, reflecting on the session. “Our efforts, including the development of Essential Mountain Climate Variables (EMCVs), align closely with the global need for harmonized and sustained monitoring to understand and address the challenges of climate change in high mountain regions.”

Beyond this session, the MRI has been closely engaged in promoting the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. Our Executive Director, Dr. Carolina Adler, serves as Co-Chair of the IYGP Advisory Board, a role to which she was nominated by the WMO. This position reflects the MRI’s recognized expertise and continued leadership in bringing mountain issues to the forefront of the global climate agenda.

A Global Call to Action: The Dushanbe Glaciers Declaration

The conference culminated in the adoption of the Dushanbe Glaciers Declaration, a landmark agreement that:

• Recognizes glacier loss as a global crisis with far-reaching impacts.
• Calls for stronger international cooperation and financing to support glacier research and preservation.
• Stresses a need for enhanced monitoring, science, and research on glaciers and the wider cryosphere worldwide.
• Promotes the development of a Global Glacier Agenda to ensure glaciers remain a priority in international climate negotiations.

The Declaration will be presented at COP30 in Brazil later this year, ensuring that glaciers are firmly on the global climate agenda.

Looking Forward

The Dushanbe conference was both a sobering reminder and a hopeful call to action: while glaciers are retreating at record speed, coordinated international efforts – grounded in science – can still help safeguard the ecosystems and communities that depend on them.

For the MRI, the outcomes of the conference reaffirm our mission to connect and support the global mountain research community, strengthen mountain observatories, and ensure that knowledge informs action for the benefit of people and ecosystems in our changing mountains worldwide.

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