UNESCO's World Day for Glaciers highlights effect of climate change

The United Nations' scientific body, UNESCO, is holding the first World Day for Glaciers. 

The high-level event aims to serve as a platform for dialogue and action regarding the state of the world's glaciers and their impacts on global water security, communities and ecosystems. 

It comes as a UNESCO report, timed to coincide with the day, warning of "imminent peril" for many of the world's glaciers.

The report warns that retreating glaciers threaten the food and water supply of two billion people around the world. Two-thirds of all irrigated agriculture around the world will be impacted by receding glaciers. 

"Regardless of where we live, we all depend in some way on mountains and glaciers," said UNESCO secretary-general Audrey Azoulay. "But these natural water towers are facing imminent peril. This report demonstrates the urgent need for action." 

'Eternal ice' will not survive the century

UNESCO was not the only international body to release a report on glaciers. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also published its findings, in collaboration with the UN's scientific body. 

The WMO said that five of the past six years have seen the most rapid glacial retreat, adding that "in many regions what used to be called eternal ice will not survive the 21st century." 

And it said 273 billion tons of ice are being lost every year - equivalent to the amount of water everyone on Earth drinks in 30 years, assuming three liters of water per person, each day. 

The World Day for Glacier comes one day ahead of the annual UN World Water Day on March 22. The special theme of this year's water day is 'Glacier Preservation'. 

Rapidly melting glaciers have profound impacts on people and the planet. Their meltwater is essential for drinking water, agriculture, industry, clean-energy production and healthy ecosystems. 

But a warming world is causing glaciers to disappear. 

China has been one of the key nations in developing local strategies to adapt to shrinking glaciers. It faces its own critically endangered glaciers - like Dagu, in Sichuan province.

The scientists and policymakers attending the UNESCO event say their ambition is to spur action to try to mitigate the impact of the loss of glaciers around the world.