Category Archives: News

Scientists Develop Eco-Friendly Clothing and Dish Detergent Made From Wood Fiber and Corn Protein

Posted on by March 25, 2025

To combat some of the more environmentally harmful chemicals in cleaning detergents, scientists have found a way to turn natural materials, including wood fiber and corn protein, into a more eco-friendly detergent.

In a study published in Langmuir, scientists shared their findings on a newly developed detergent that utilizes readily available and renewable materials such as cellulose nanofibers and zein, one of the primary proteins found in corn. These materials were combined into an emulsion that can collectively attract the materials in a stain and trap oils, making it ideal for cleaning.

“Pickering particles can self-assemble to form a rigid barrier film at the oil–water interface, effectively inhibiting droplet aggregation and stabilizing the emulsion,” the authors wrote in the study.

As explained by ScienceDirect, a Pickering emulsion uses solids for stabilizing, rather than using synthetic surfactants. Replacing synthetic surfactants in detergents can help minimize environmental harm, because these chemicals are hard to break down and can be toxic, especially in aquatic environments.

The study authors tested the eco-friendly detergent’s ability to clean ink, chili oil and tomato paste off of cotton fabrics and diningware made of different materials, including glass, ceramic, metal and plastic. For comparison, the team also tested the cleaning power of commercial laundry powder and dish soap on these materials and stains.

In their testing, researchers found that their eco-friendly detergent was only slightly less effective at cleaning cotton compared to the laundry power at equal dilution amounts, but when they used 5% concentration of the detergent compared to 1% of laundry powder, the eco-friendly alternative was more effective.

The team had similar results on cleaning dishes, where both cleaning products worked similarly at the same dilution, but when slightly increasing the concentration of the eco-friendly detergent, it had greater cleaning power than the commercial product.

The findings revealed a potentially viable alternative to detergents that may contain environmentally harmful ingredients. Many cleaning detergents today include alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEOs), which have been linked to aquatic toxicity and endocrine disruption, and phosphates, the pollution of which can lead to algal blooms in bodies of water.

While alternative detergents have been proposed in previous research, those alternatives have either been found difficult and expensive to produce, challenging to rinse off of fabric and dishes, less effective at cleaning or potentially damaging to fabrics.

In the newly published study, the researchers determined that their detergent did not show signs of damage to the cotton fabric, based on microscopic observations. By using natural, renewable and widely available ingredients, they also expect that this wood fiber- and zein-based detergent could be both effective and affordable to scale in manufacturing.

The post Scientists Develop Eco-Friendly Clothing and Dish Detergent Made From Wood Fiber and Corn Protein appeared first on EcoWatch.

Galápagos Yellow Warblers Living Near Traffic Noise Act More Aggressively, Study Finds

Posted on by March 25, 2025

New research has found that the persistent sound of traffic can aggravate Galápagos yellow warblers and cause them to change their behavior, possibly because they realize their songs may be being drowned out by the noise.

The study was led by experts from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and University of Vienna’s Konrad Lorenz Research Centre.

The Galápagos Islands lie more than 500 miles off Ecuador’s coastline and are seen as a “living laboratory” because of the many unique, endemic species who call the archipelago home, a press release from ARU said.

Galápagos yellow warblers are genetically distinct from yellow warblers in the Americas and are classified as a subspecies.

The researchers found that Galápagos yellow warblers living near busy roads behaved more aggressively when recordings of another bird were played alongside traffic sounds. They said this could be due to the birds realizing that their songs, which are effectively warnings to intruders encroaching on their territory, could be being masked by the din of cars and trucks.

“Communication usually is in lieu of physical aggression but, if the communication is not possible because of noise, then they might actually engage in risky behaviours that would lead to a physical fight,” said co-author of the findings Dr. Çağlar Akçay, a behavioral ecologist at ARU, as The Guardian reported.

Since Charles Darwin first visited the Galápagos in 1835, there has been a significant rise in the number of humans living on the islands. The permanent population is growing by more than six percent a year, which means more vehicles on the roads.

“The Galapagos Islands are famous for plant and animal life which has been there for thousands of years before human beings appeared on the islands. As the population of the Islands grow[s], it is important to monitor the impact of the human population on the environment,” according to Galápagos Conservation Trust.

A Galápagos yellow warbler. Alper Yelimlies

The research team played birdsong accompanied by traffic noise from a speaker at 38 locations on the islands of Santa Cruz and Floreana. Twenty of the sites were within approximately 164 feet of the closest road, while 18 were more than 328 feet away.

The team measured the warblers’ songs, as well as aggressive, physical behaviors like coming close to the speaker and flying repeatedly over it.

The researchers observed that the warblers who lived in roadside territories displayed increased aggression, while those living farther away from roads showed less aggression in comparison to trials without noise.

“Birds use song during territorial defence as an aggressive signal. However, if external noise such as traffic interferes with the signalling, effectively blocking this communication channel, increasing physical aggression would be an appropriate response,” Akçay said in the press release.

The “roadside effect” was even apparent on Floreana Island, where there were only around 10 vehicles, suggesting minimal traffic can also impact the noise responses of Galápagos yellow warblers.

“Our results show that the change in aggressive responses in yellow warblers occurred mainly near roads. Birds occupying roadside territories on both islands, and therefore having regular experience of traffic noise, may have learned to increase physical aggression when the territorial intrusion was accompanied by traffic noise,” Akçay said.

During the noise experiments, Galápagos yellow warblers increased their songs’ minimum frequencies regardless of how close their territory was to the road, which helped cut down on the overlap between their songs and the low-frequency traffic noise. Warblers on Santa Cruz, a more populated island, extended the length of their songs when confronted with traffic noise.

“We also found some evidence of birds trying to cope with noise by adjusting their song, with yellow warblers in all habitats increasing the minimum frequency of their songs to help them be heard above the traffic noise,” Akçay added.

The findings support the theory that an individual bird’s experience with noise, or long-term selection in response to noise, allows birds to adapt and adjust aspects of their songs.

“Our study shows the importance of considering behavioural plasticity in conservation efforts and developing strategies to mitigate the effects of noise pollution on wildlife. It also highlights the significant impact of human activities on wildlife behaviour, even in relatively remote locations such as the Galápagos Islands,” Akçay said.

The study, “Galápagos yellow warblers differ in behavioural plasticity in response to traffic noise depending on proximity to road,” was published in the journal Animal Behaviour.

The post Galápagos Yellow Warblers Living Near Traffic Noise Act More Aggressively, Study Finds appeared first on EcoWatch.

Freshwater Lakes Are Losing Vital Surface Oxygen as Global Heating Continues: Study

Posted on by March 24, 2025

Freshwater ecosystems need adequate levels of oxygen to maintain healthy biological communities and sustain life. But the increasing intensity and frequency of short-term heat waves, along with long-term climate warming, are significantly reducing the levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the surface of lakes across the globe, according to a new study.

The researchers quantified the impacts of continuous global heating and intensified heat waves on surface DO levels, a press release from the Chinese Academy of Sciences said.

“The persistent decline in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations, observed across diverse aquatic ecosystems since the mid-20th century, has prompted substantial concern. Global observations demonstrate a widespread decline (2%) in DO concentrations across the open oceans, leading to the proliferation of ‘dead zones,’ areas characterized by very low DO,” the authors of the findings wrote.

The study was led by Professors Zhang Yunlin and Shi Kun at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, in collaboration with scientists from Nanjing University and Bangor University in the United Kingdom.

The research team analyzed surface DO variations of more than 15,000 lakes worldwide over the last two decades. They found that there had been a widespread decline in concentrations of surface DO, with 83 percent of lakes studied exhibiting significant deoxygenation.

“Adequate oxygen levels are critical for sustaining aerobic life and fostering robust biological communities. A decrease in DO concentrations results in substantial consequences, including reduced nitrogen fixation, increased emissions of N2O — a potent greenhouse gas, limitations on habitat suitability and productivity for oxygen-demanding organisms, as well as having adverse impacts on food security, livelihoods, and coastal economies,” the authors wrote in their findings.

The team also explored the roles of eutrophication — nutrient overgrowth in a body of water, such as those that lead to algae and plankton blooms — and climate warming in shaping the accumulation of surface DO.

“[E]levated lake water temperature can potentially influence DO concentrations by stimulating the growth of aquatic vegetation and phytoplankton, consequently enhancing both oxygen consumption and production rates,” the authors wrote.

The findings suggest that climate warming contributes to 55 percent of the world’s surface deoxygenation by reducing oxygen solubility. Increased eutrophication is responsible for roughly 10 percent of total surface oxygen loss globally.

“In lakes and oceans, surface warming also impedes vertical oxygen transport from the surface, where it is typically highest, into deeper waters by strengthening and prolonging thermal stratification. This disruption in vertical mixing can lead to a critical depletion of DO in bottom waters,” the authors wrote.

The researchers examined heat wave trends and quantitatively assessed how they impact surface DO levels. They found that heat waves have pronounced and rapid effects on the decline of surface DO, causing a 7.7 percent surface DO reduction compared with average temperature conditions.

“These findings underscore the profound impact of climate change on freshwater ecosystems, emphasizing the urgent need for mitigation and adaptation strategies to preserve lake ecosystems worldwide. The study provides crucial insights for policymakers and environmental managers working to combat the escalating threat of freshwater deoxygenation,” the press release said.

The study, “Climate warming and heatwaves accelerate global lake deoxygenation,” was published in the journal Science Advances.

The post Freshwater Lakes Are Losing Vital Surface Oxygen as Global Heating Continues: Study appeared first on EcoWatch.

UK Schools and Hospitals Receive £180 Million for Solar

Posted on by March 24, 2025

Great British Energy, a new government-owned energy company in the UK, will install £180 million (approximately $232 million) worth of solar panels on hundreds of schools and hospital sites in the country.

About £80 million ($103 million) will go toward installing solar panels on about 200 schools, while another £100 million ($129 million) for rooftop solar at nearly 200 sites of the National Health Service (NHS).

Any excess energy generated that is not used by the schools or hospitals could be sold back to the local energy grid. The first solar panels are set to be installed before the end of summer 2025. 

According to Great British Energy, each school could save as much as £25,000 ($32,300) annually in energy costs. Hospitals are set to save even more, with up to £45,000 ($58,140) in savings per year if the solar is paired with battery storage technology.

Over a 30-year period, the initial investment could save the schools and hospitals as much as £400 million ($516 million) in energy costs.

“With this investment we are backing our teachers and delivering for our young people — saving schools thousands on their bills to reinvest in a brilliant education for each and every child,” Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said in a statement. “The installation of solar will not only benefit schools financially, but will support pupils to develop green skills, promoting careers in renewables and supporting growth in the clean energy workforce.”

This will be the first project by Great British Energy, which was first introduced as a publicly-owned energy company focused on clean energy development in July 2024. As the BBC reported, the program is similar to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which aims to reduce emissions of public sector buildings by 75%, compared to a 2017 baseline, by 2037.

According to Great British Energy, about 20% of schools and less than 10% of hospitals in the country have solar panels. For this first project, less than 1% of schools will receive rooftop solar, BBC reported. But this has still been considered a positive move toward more sustainable and resilient energy sources.

“For many years, schools have been keen to lead the way when it comes to sustainable and greener energy,” Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said in a statement. “Some have already installed solar panels but most find it cost prohibitive. This announcement is therefore welcome and a step in the right direction. In the longer term, this should also help schools manage energy bills, which have been a source of enormous financial pressure in recent years.”

In addition to solar installations, the project will involve a collaboration between the appointed solar contractors and further education colleges to incorporate work placement opportunities, skill bootcamps, workshops and other career and learning opportunities. The project will also include £5 million ($6.5 million) in grant funding for community energy projects.

“By partnering with the public sector as we scale up the company, this will help us make an immediate impact as we work to roll out clean, homegrown energy projects, crowd in investment and create job opportunities across the country,” Great British Energy Chair Juergen Maier said in a statement. “We will work closely with communities to learn from the scheme so we can scale up energy projects across the country.”

The post UK Schools and Hospitals Receive £180 Million for Solar appeared first on EcoWatch.

UK to Plant 20 Million Trees in First National Forest in 30 Years

Posted on by March 24, 2025

The first national forest in the United Kingdom in 30 years will cover at least 6,200 acres and involve the planting of 20 million trees, the government announced on Friday.

Trees for the Western Forest will be planted across Somerset, Gloucestershire, Bristol and Wiltshire by 2050, a press release from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said.

“The Government was elected on a mandate to plant three new national forests this parliament, as part of our commitment to reach net zero and drive sustainable growth under the Government’s Plan for Change,” Nature Minister Mary Creagh said in the press release. “We will plant 20 million trees in the Western Forest to bring nature closer to people, prevent flooding and support wildlife.”

The Western Forest will bring trees and woodlands closer to more than 2.5 million residents.

The Forest of Avon will spearhead the new forest, supported by up to $9.69 million in government funds over five years.

“The Forest of Avon is thrilled to have led a wonderfully diverse and engaged partnership to bring the Western Forest to life. This is about resource, funding and expertise coming directly to landowners, partners and communities, planting millions of trees in the right places. Together, we will enhance landscapes for all to enjoy, improving the lives of our 2.5 million residents and visitors to the region,” said Alex Stone, chief executive of Forest of Avon, England’s Community Forests.

The goal of the project is to create a network of forests by revitalizing existing woodlands and other important habitats “at a truly landscape scale” for wildlife and people.

“The new national forest will help the drive to net zero while promoting economic growth and creating jobs in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and across the West of England, as part of the Government’s Plan for Change. It will also help us meet our nature and legal environment targets including halting the decline of species and protecting 30% of land for nature by 2030,” the press release said.

Over 73 percent of the planned Western Forest area is farmland, meaning it will give farmers an opportunity to integrate trees into the agricultural landscape through farm woodlands and agroforestry.

“These tree habitats can regenerate the soil and improve resilience to flooding and drought delivering multiple environmental, economic, and social benefits, without compromising food production, supporting the Government’s Land Use Framework,” the press release said.

The National Forest Company, manager of the National Forest, will mentor the new Western Forest project team.

“The National Forest Company is delighted to see the announcement of the Western Forest as the first of the government’s new national forest commitments,” said John Everitt, chief executive of the National Forest, in the press release. “This initiative builds on the success of the National Forest in the Midlands, where planting more than 9.8 million trees has transformed the landscape, benefitting wildlife, communities and the economy.

“The Western Forest was selected because of its ability to demonstrate a similar scale of ambition, with trees and woods supporting growth and farming while enhancing nature’s recovery and access to green space,” Everitt said.

The Western Forest will also contribute to the government’s target of increasing tree and woodland cover in England to 16.5 percent by 2050.

“Our countryside and woodlands are a source of great national pride, and today’s announcement is a further example of this government delivering for nature, following historic announcements on the wild release and management of beavers in England, a new approach to neonicotinoid pesticides on crops grown in England and new measures to strengthen our protected areas and meet 30×30,” the press release said.

The post UK to Plant 20 Million Trees in First National Forest in 30 Years appeared first on EcoWatch.

World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report

Posted on by March 21, 2025

Melting glaciers threaten the supply of food and water for billions across the globe, the United Nations warned in its 2025 World Water Development Report: Mountains and Glaciers: Water towers.

Mountains supply 55 to 60 percent of the planet’s annual freshwater flow, with two billion people reliant on the waters flowing from them.

“As the world’s water towers, mountains provide life-sustaining fresh water to billions of people and countless ecosystems; their critical role in sustainable development cannot be ignored,” a press release from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.

The most recent edition of the report emphasizes the importance of alpine glaciers and other mountain water sources, which are essential to meet basic human needs like drinking water and sanitation.

According to the report, 2.2 billion people did not have access to safe drinking water in 2022, while 3.5 billion lacked safely managed sanitation.

“Climate change is accelerating glacier melt, decreasing snow cover, increasing permafrost thaw, and causing more extreme rainfall events and natural hazards leading to more variable, erratic and uncertain water flows,” the press release said. “This highlights the urgency of improving mountain water governance through integrated river basin management, finance, and knowledge- and capacity-building, to meet the world’s ever-growing demand for water.”

Mountain waters are essential to the food and energy security of billions of people who live in and around mountainous regions, as well as areas downstream. These waters also support water-reliant industries important to economic growth.

Two-thirds of irrigated agriculture globally will likely be impacted by receding mountain glaciers and less snowfall in mountainous regions, the report said, as The Guardian reported.

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

The glacial rate of change is the worst ever recorded, separate research by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its State of the Global Climate 2024 report, published earlier this week.

WMO found that the last three years saw the largest ever loss of glacier mass, with the tropical Andes, Sweden, Norway and Svalbard among the most-impacted areas.

“As the ‘water towers’ of the world, mountains are an essential source of fresh water. They store water in the form of ice and snow during cold seasons, releasing it during warmer seasons as a major source of fresh water for users downstream. Mountains play a unique and critical role in the global water cycle, and they affect atmospheric circulation, which drives weather and precipitation patterns,” the press release said.

According to Abou Amani, UNESCO’s director of water sciences, glacial decline also means the reflective ice surface is replaced by dark soil, which absorbs heat.

“Glaciers melting have an impact on the reflectivity of [solar] radiation and that will impact the whole climate system,” Amani warned, as reported by The Guardian.

President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Alvaro Lario, who is also chair of UN-Water, said more support is needed for those living in affected mountain regions.

“Water flows downhill, but food insecurity rises uphill. Mountains provide 60% of our freshwater, but the communities that safeguard these vital resources are among the most food insecure,” Amani said, as The Guardian reported. “We must invest in their resilience to protect glaciers, rivers, and a shared future for all of us.”

The post World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report appeared first on EcoWatch.

World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report

Posted on by March 21, 2025

Melting glaciers threaten the supply of food and water for billions across the globe, the United Nations warned in its 2025 World Water Development Report: Mountains and Glaciers: Water towers.

Mountains supply 55 to 60 percent of the planet’s annual freshwater flow, with two billion people reliant on the waters flowing from them.

“As the world’s water towers, mountains provide life-sustaining fresh water to billions of people and countless ecosystems; their critical role in sustainable development cannot be ignored,” a press release from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.

The most recent edition of the report emphasizes the importance of alpine glaciers and other mountain water sources, which are essential to meet basic human needs like drinking water and sanitation.

According to the report, 2.2 billion people did not have access to safe drinking water in 2022, while 3.5 billion lacked safely managed sanitation.

“Climate change is accelerating glacier melt, decreasing snow cover, increasing permafrost thaw, and causing more extreme rainfall events and natural hazards leading to more variable, erratic and uncertain water flows,” the press release said. “This highlights the urgency of improving mountain water governance through integrated river basin management, finance, and knowledge- and capacity-building, to meet the world’s ever-growing demand for water.”

Mountain waters are essential to the food and energy security of billions of people who live in and around mountainous regions, as well as areas downstream. These waters also support water-reliant industries important to economic growth.

Two-thirds of irrigated agriculture globally will likely be impacted by receding mountain glaciers and less snowfall in mountainous regions, the report said, as The Guardian reported.

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

The glacial rate of change is the worst ever recorded, separate research by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its State of the Global Climate 2024 report, published earlier this week.

WMO found that the last three years saw the largest ever loss of glacier mass, with the tropical Andes, Sweden, Norway and Svalbard among the most-impacted areas.

“As the ‘water towers’ of the world, mountains are an essential source of fresh water. They store water in the form of ice and snow during cold seasons, releasing it during warmer seasons as a major source of fresh water for users downstream. Mountains play a unique and critical role in the global water cycle, and they affect atmospheric circulation, which drives weather and precipitation patterns,” the press release said.

According to Abou Amani, UNESCO’s director of water sciences, glacial decline also means the reflective ice surface is replaced by dark soil, which absorbs heat.

“Glaciers melting have an impact on the reflectivity of [solar] radiation and that will impact the whole climate system,” Amani warned, as reported by The Guardian.

President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Alvaro Lario, who is also chair of UN-Water, said more support is needed for those living in affected mountain regions.

“Water flows downhill, but food insecurity rises uphill. Mountains provide 60% of our freshwater, but the communities that safeguard these vital resources are among the most food insecure,” Amani said, as The Guardian reported. “We must invest in their resilience to protect glaciers, rivers, and a shared future for all of us.”

The post World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report appeared first on EcoWatch.

World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report

Posted on by March 21, 2025

Melting glaciers threaten the supply of food and water for billions across the globe, the United Nations warned in its 2025 World Water Development Report: Mountains and Glaciers: Water towers.

Mountains supply 55 to 60 percent of the planet’s annual freshwater flow, with two billion people reliant on the waters flowing from them.

“As the world’s water towers, mountains provide life-sustaining fresh water to billions of people and countless ecosystems; their critical role in sustainable development cannot be ignored,” a press release from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.

The most recent edition of the report emphasizes the importance of alpine glaciers and other mountain water sources, which are essential to meet basic human needs like drinking water and sanitation.

According to the report, 2.2 billion people did not have access to safe drinking water in 2022, while 3.5 billion lacked safely managed sanitation.

“Climate change is accelerating glacier melt, decreasing snow cover, increasing permafrost thaw, and causing more extreme rainfall events and natural hazards leading to more variable, erratic and uncertain water flows,” the press release said. “This highlights the urgency of improving mountain water governance through integrated river basin management, finance, and knowledge- and capacity-building, to meet the world’s ever-growing demand for water.”

Mountain waters are essential to the food and energy security of billions of people who live in and around mountainous regions, as well as areas downstream. These waters also support water-reliant industries important to economic growth.

Two-thirds of irrigated agriculture globally will likely be impacted by receding mountain glaciers and less snowfall in mountainous regions, the report said, as The Guardian reported.

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

The glacial rate of change is the worst ever recorded, separate research by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its State of the Global Climate 2024 report, published earlier this week.

WMO found that the last three years saw the largest ever loss of glacier mass, with the tropical Andes, Sweden, Norway and Svalbard among the most-impacted areas.

“As the ‘water towers’ of the world, mountains are an essential source of fresh water. They store water in the form of ice and snow during cold seasons, releasing it during warmer seasons as a major source of fresh water for users downstream. Mountains play a unique and critical role in the global water cycle, and they affect atmospheric circulation, which drives weather and precipitation patterns,” the press release said.

According to Abou Amani, UNESCO’s director of water sciences, glacial decline also means the reflective ice surface is replaced by dark soil, which absorbs heat.

“Glaciers melting have an impact on the reflectivity of [solar] radiation and that will impact the whole climate system,” Amani warned, as reported by The Guardian.

President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Alvaro Lario, who is also chair of UN-Water, said more support is needed for those living in affected mountain regions.

“Water flows downhill, but food insecurity rises uphill. Mountains provide 60% of our freshwater, but the communities that safeguard these vital resources are among the most food insecure,” Amani said, as The Guardian reported. “We must invest in their resilience to protect glaciers, rivers, and a shared future for all of us.”

The post World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report appeared first on EcoWatch.

World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report

Posted on by March 21, 2025

Melting glaciers threaten the supply of food and water for billions across the globe, the United Nations warned in its 2025 World Water Development Report: Mountains and Glaciers: Water towers.

Mountains supply 55 to 60 percent of the planet’s annual freshwater flow, with two billion people reliant on the waters flowing from them.

“As the world’s water towers, mountains provide life-sustaining fresh water to billions of people and countless ecosystems; their critical role in sustainable development cannot be ignored,” a press release from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.

The most recent edition of the report emphasizes the importance of alpine glaciers and other mountain water sources, which are essential to meet basic human needs like drinking water and sanitation.

According to the report, 2.2 billion people did not have access to safe drinking water in 2022, while 3.5 billion lacked safely managed sanitation.

“Climate change is accelerating glacier melt, decreasing snow cover, increasing permafrost thaw, and causing more extreme rainfall events and natural hazards leading to more variable, erratic and uncertain water flows,” the press release said. “This highlights the urgency of improving mountain water governance through integrated river basin management, finance, and knowledge- and capacity-building, to meet the world’s ever-growing demand for water.”

Mountain waters are essential to the food and energy security of billions of people who live in and around mountainous regions, as well as areas downstream. These waters also support water-reliant industries important to economic growth.

Two-thirds of irrigated agriculture globally will likely be impacted by receding mountain glaciers and less snowfall in mountainous regions, the report said, as The Guardian reported.

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

The glacial rate of change is the worst ever recorded, separate research by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its State of the Global Climate 2024 report, published earlier this week.

WMO found that the last three years saw the largest ever loss of glacier mass, with the tropical Andes, Sweden, Norway and Svalbard among the most-impacted areas.

“As the ‘water towers’ of the world, mountains are an essential source of fresh water. They store water in the form of ice and snow during cold seasons, releasing it during warmer seasons as a major source of fresh water for users downstream. Mountains play a unique and critical role in the global water cycle, and they affect atmospheric circulation, which drives weather and precipitation patterns,” the press release said.

According to Abou Amani, UNESCO’s director of water sciences, glacial decline also means the reflective ice surface is replaced by dark soil, which absorbs heat.

“Glaciers melting have an impact on the reflectivity of [solar] radiation and that will impact the whole climate system,” Amani warned, as reported by The Guardian.

President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Alvaro Lario, who is also chair of UN-Water, said more support is needed for those living in affected mountain regions.

“Water flows downhill, but food insecurity rises uphill. Mountains provide 60% of our freshwater, but the communities that safeguard these vital resources are among the most food insecure,” Amani said, as The Guardian reported. “We must invest in their resilience to protect glaciers, rivers, and a shared future for all of us.”

The post World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report appeared first on EcoWatch.

World’s Melting Glaciers Threaten Food and Water Supply for 2 Billion People: UN Report

Posted on by March 21, 2025

Melting glaciers threaten the supply of food and water for billions across the globe, the United Nations warned in its 2025 World Water Development Report: Mountains and Glaciers: Water towers.

Mountains supply 55 to 60 percent of the planet’s annual freshwater flow, with two billion people reliant on the waters flowing from them.

“As the world’s water towers, mountains provide life-sustaining fresh water to billions of people and countless ecosystems; their critical role in sustainable development cannot be ignored,” a press release from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.

The most recent edition of the report emphasizes the importance of alpine glaciers and other mountain water sources, which are essential to meet basic human needs like drinking water and sanitation.

According to the report, 2.2 billion people did not have access to safe drinking water in 2022, while 3.5 billion lacked safely managed sanitation.

“Climate change is accelerating glacier melt, decreasing snow cover, increasing permafrost thaw, and causing more extreme rainfall events and natural hazards leading to more variable, erratic and uncertain water flows,” the press release said. “This highlights the urgency of improving mountain water governance through integrated river basin management, finance, and knowledge- and capacity-building, to meet the world’s ever-growing demand for water.”

Mountain waters are essential to the food and energy security of billions of people who live in and around mountainous regions, as well as areas downstream. These waters also support water-reliant industries important to economic growth.

Two-thirds of irrigated agriculture globally will likely be impacted by receding mountain glaciers and less snowfall in mountainous regions, the report said, as The Guardian reported.

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

The glacial rate of change is the worst ever recorded, separate research by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its State of the Global Climate 2024 report, published earlier this week.

WMO found that the last three years saw the largest ever loss of glacier mass, with the tropical Andes, Sweden, Norway and Svalbard among the most-impacted areas.

“As the ‘water towers’ of the world, mountains are an essential source of fresh water. They store water in the form of ice and snow during cold seasons, releasing it during warmer seasons as a major source of fresh water for users downstream. Mountains play a unique and critical role in the global water cycle, and they affect atmospheric circulation, which drives weather and precipitation patterns,” the press release said.

According to Abou Amani, UNESCO’s director of water sciences, glacial decline also means the reflective ice surface is replaced by dark soil, which absorbs heat.

“Glaciers melting have an impact on the reflectivity of [solar] radiation and that will impact the whole climate system,” Amani warned, as reported by The Guardian.

President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Alvaro Lario, who is also chair of UN-Water, said more support is needed for those living in affected mountain regions.

“Water flows downhill, but food insecurity rises uphill. Mountains provide 60% of our freshwater, but the communities that safeguard these vital resources are among the most food insecure,” Amani said, as The Guardian reported. “We must invest in their resilience to protect glaciers, rivers, and a shared future for all of us.”

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