Antarctica Glacier Called for Glasgow Climate Negotiations at COP26
9 glaciers in the remote Getz Region of the West Antarctic ice sheet have new names. On October 31, the proposal to relabel glaciers after cities where substantial climate treaties have actually been signed was accepted by the Antarctic Place Naming Commission..
The Getz Region of the Antarctic ice sheet. Image thanks to: Pierre Dutrieux.
Antarctic ice sheet scientist Heather Selley, from the University of Leeds, brought the proposition to the committee. “We saw the opportunity to mark 42 years of partnership on global science and environment policy decision-making,” stated Selley. “Having studied environment change for the very best part of a decade on a personal level it feels incredibly unique to honor the scientific neighborhood who have put in an impressive effort determining present-day impacts of environment change and its forecasted future evolution.”.
The brand-new names are Geneva, Rio, Berlin, Kyoto, Bali, Stockholm, Paris and, for the northern most glacier in the sequence, Glasgow. Selley hopes that naming a glacier for the existing climate talks will highlight the importance for what is at stake.
The recently called glaciers of the Getz ice sheet. Image thanks to Heather Selley.
The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest single mass of ice on Earth. Over the last 20 years it has been losing an average of 149 billion metric lots of ice annually and is a major factor to sea level increase. The ice sheet remains in peril, however Selley is optimistic that COP26 may be the turning point. “My hope is that ambitious concrete actions, timeframes and commitments will be made and, more significantly, honored,” she stated. “Glasgow glacier highlights that now is the time to decide what we desire the legacy of this generation to be.”
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The new names are Geneva, Rio, Berlin, Kyoto, Bali, Stockholm, Paris and, for the northern most glacier in the sequence, Glasgow. Selley hopes that calling a glacier for the present environment talks will highlight the importance for what is at stake. It will be up to the commitments and choices made at COP26 whether the legacy of this glacier and this generation will be the moment people stepped up.”.
