By Olufunke Cofie and Maimouna Tall
As we mark World Water Day 2025 on March 22 under the theme Glacier Preservation as well as World Day for Glaciers on March 21, we are reminded of the intricate and fragile balance of our planet’s water systems. Glaciers, often referred to as the “water towers of the world,” are critical to the survival of billions of people. They are not just icy relics of the past; they are dynamic, life-sustaining reservoirs that feed rivers, support ecosystems, and provide water for agriculture, energy, and livelihoods. Yet, these majestic ice formations are under threat, and their rapid disappearance is a stark reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and its cascading impacts on water resources.
In Africa, glaciers may seem like a distant reality, but they are very much part of our continent’s landscape. The glaciers of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Kenya in Kenya, and the Rwenzori Mountains on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are iconic symbols of Africa’s natural heritage. However, these glaciers could disappear entirely, much like the glaciers that once crowned the Bale and Arsi Mountains in Ethiopia. The mountains in Ethiopia, which rise above 4,000 meters, were glaciated during the last cold period but have since lost their ice cover.
Research led by Anne Hinzmann and her team at Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) in Germany reveals that Africa’s glaciers have lost more than 90% of their area since the late 19th century. This includes Kilimanjaro, home to Africa’s largest ice fields, which has seen its glaciers decline from 11.4 square kilometers in 1900, to 0.98 square kilometers in recent years.
This drastic retreat is not just a tragedy for biodiversity and tourism; it is a warning sign of the inevitable changes occurring in our water systems.
Small but crucial
While Africa’s glaciers are small compared to those in other regions, they play a significant role in local ecosystems and water systems. They contribute to river flow, particularly during dry seasons, and support biodiversity, agriculture, and livelihoods in surrounding areas. For instance, the rivers fed by the Rwenzori Mountains provide water for communities in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the seasonal melt from Mount Kenya sustains ecosystems and agriculture in the region.
The retreat of these glaciers is a clear indicator of the impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and increased evaporation are accelerating their decline. This not only threatens the unique ecosystems that depend on them but also underscores the vulnerability of Africa’s water resources to climate-induced stressors.
Slowing down glacier retreat
The call for action for all of us is clear. We need to deepen our understanding of the role glaciers play in global and local water systems and to take decisive steps to manage them. For Africa, this means investing in research to understand the interconnections between the physical and human elements in mountainous areas as it affects long-term water availability and transformation processes in the landscape. It requires empowering local communities in disaster risk preparedness and management to minimize the impacts of unavoidable changes. Finally, it takes supporting policy makers with decision support tools, data and early warning systems for adaptive governance of mountain ecosystems.
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has extensive research experience on water-related disaster-risk preparedness and management through citizen science monitoring, early warning systems and sustainable land management on mountainous areas. Through citizen science, local communities actively participated in data collection and monitoring changes, to enhance the knowledge about the extent of fertile soil erosion, nutrient depletion and the water-related disasters such as flooding, and ecosystem degradations. Remote sensing is used to derive long-term changes and hotspot areas with larger spatial coverage. With the knowledge produced, IWMI promotes various sustainable land management practices to increase the availability of water. In addition, IWMI has experience with anticipatory action research, promoting proactive measures to mitigate disaster impacts and community resilience, especially in such fragile ecosystems.
As we reflect on the theme of World Water Day 2025, let us remember that glacier preservation is not just about saving ice; it is about safeguarding our future. The water systems that sustain life on Earth are under threat, and the time to act is now. At IWMI, we remain committed to advancing water solutions that address the challenges of climate change and water scarcity. On this World Water Day, let us unite in our efforts to protect glaciers, secure water resources, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
