Rome (Italy). World Water Day is celebrated on 22 March 2025, an annual event organized by the UN to raise awareness in the international community about the lack of access to clean water for thousands of people on earth and the urgent need to tackle the global water crisis.
The annual theme, “Save the glaciers” highlights the urgent need to stop the eye-catching withdrawal of these precious water reserves, essential for life on Earth. As glaciers around the world continue to melt at an alarming rate, the consequences for society and ecosystems are becoming increasingly apparent. Melting glaciers not only affect biodiversity, but also have important socio-economic consequences, in particular on agriculture, industrial activities, clean energy production, food security, and access to drinking water.
Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the United Nations, during the 36th UN Water Meeting in 2022, declared 2025 as International Year for the Protection of Glaciers.
This announcement was followed by the proclamation of World Glacier Day which, starting in 2025, will be celebrated on 21 March each year, one day before World Water Day, which is celebrated on 22 March. Both events aim to raise global public awareness of the economic, social, and environmental impact of melting glaciers.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights that about 70% of the planet’s fresh water is in the form of ice or snow and that almost two billion people depend on water from glaciers, from the melting of the snows and mountains’ runoff to meet their daily needs.
UNESCO’s report The Andean Glacier and Water Atlas: The Impact of Glacier Retreat on Water Resources highlights how rising temperatures have significantly affected Andean glaciers. With their withdrawal, water availability will become increasingly unpredictable, increasing the risk to agriculture and food security. Water stress is likely to be exacerbated by the expansion of cultivated areas and growing demand for food production. In recent decades, snow cover has decreased and the perennial snow limit continues to move towards higher altitudes, increasing the risk of sudden flooding in downstream areas.
The loss of glaciers in the Andean region will impact more than 75 million people who depend on mountain water resources. Countries such as Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, which rely heavily on melting glaciers for water supply, will face the greatest challenges in adapting to these changes.
Although all the consequences of glacier retreat remain uncertain, it is clear that they will most severely affect vulnerable populations with limited resources and safety nets. It is therefore essential to give priority to effective water management and sustainability strategies in order to mitigate the negative effects of glacier retreat.
Pope Francis, during a meeting with WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo in November 2024, stressed the urgent need for collective action to combat climate change and mitigate its effects. Taking up his own words in the Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum, the Holy Father expressed concern about the inadequacy of the global response to the climate crisis, warning that the world could be close to a critical turning point. Celeste Saulo also stressed that religious institutions can contribute to the fight against climate change by promoting hope and unity, highlighting the importance of integrating scientific knowledge with moral responsibility.
For IIMA – the Human Rights Office of Mary Help of Christians International Institute in Geneva – water conservation is not only an environmental issue, but a fundamental human right. Children are among the most vulnerable to water insecurity, as access to clean water is essential for their health, education, and general well-being. Schools, health centers, and communities depend on stable water resources to function effectively. Without adequate water resources, children face increased risks of malnutrition, disease, and school interruptions.
Sustainable water management is essential to ensure that future generations, especially those living in glacier-dependent regions, have the resources they need to live to the full. Investing in glacier conservation and adaptation strategies will have a direct impact on the right to education of millions of children. We save glaciers. We value water.
