Western Canada Glaciers Melting Twice as Fast as in Previous Decade, Study Finds
Researchers say some glaciers in Western Canada and the United States lost 12% of their mass from 2021 to 2024, doubling melt rates compared to the previous decade in a continuation of a concerning global trend.
The research led by University of Northern British Columbia professor Brian Menounos says low snow accumulation over winter, early-season heatwaves, and prolonged warm and dry spells were contributing factors, reports The Canadian Press.
It says impurities such as ash from severe wildfire seasons have also "darkened" glaciers, causing them to absorb more heat and triggering a feedback loop that will lead to continued loss unless the ice is covered by fresh snow.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Geophysical Research Letters this week, examined glaciers in Western Canada and the United States, excluding Alaska and Yukon, as well as Switzerland, where glaciers lost 13% of their mass over the same period.
The research letter says glaciers in both regions lost mass twice as fast as they did between 2010 and 2020.
Menounos says climate change and its effects, including heatwaves and changing snow patterns, are draining the "bank account" of fresh water that glaciers contain.
"Doubling the amount of water that's lost from those glaciers, we're sort of stealing from the future," says Menounos, the Canada Research Chair in glacier change.
"We are just pulling and pulling away and making that bank account closer to zero and perhaps even negative. We're not replenishing these glaciers," he says.
The research letter published Wednesday follows a 2021 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature that found glaciers outside the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost mass between 2010 and 2019 at double the rate they did in the first decade of this century. Menounos contributed to that study.
The latest research combined aerial surveys with ground-based observations of three glaciers in Western Canada, four glaciers in the United States and 20 in Switzerland.
The analysis shows that between 2021 and 2024, those glaciers experienced their highest rates of loss since monitoring began 60 years ago, Menounos says.
The study says that in Western Canada and the United States, black carbon doubled after about 2010, reaching the highest level of deposition in 2023-coinciding with a severe wildfire season across British Columbia and Canada.
The study did not include specific data relating to wildfire ash on each glacier, but Menounos says any darker material will absorb more heat and enhance melting.
The researchers did zero in on the Haig Glacier in the Canadian Rockies, finding the low reflectivity of the ice contributed to 17% of an unprecedented loss of mass in 2022 and 2023. Summer heat had the greatest effect, responsible for 46% of the loss, the letter says.
Current modelling for glaciers often doesn't include wildfire ash and other processes that could accelerate rates of loss in the future, Menounos added.
"We think that wildfire will continue to play an important role and certainly we need better physical models to project how these glaciers are likely to change."
Glaciers across the study area are projected to mostly disappear by the end of the century, even under moderate climate change scenarios. Only some of the largest glaciers and icefields are expected to exist beyond 2100, the research letter says.
Swiss glaciers represent about 55% of the total volume of central European glaciers, and findings there may be applied across the Alps, the letter notes.
From 2000 to 2023, the letter says Earth's glaciers collectively lost mass at a rate of about 273 gigatonnes per year, accounting for about one-fifth of observed sea-level rise. One gigatonne represents one cubic kilometre of water, Menounos says.
"The way to perhaps bring some of the smallest glaciers back is, sometime in the future, with reduced greenhouse gas emissions," he says.
"It's a global problem, it does require input from all countries."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025.
Source: The Energy Mix
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Montreal Gazette
4 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Quebec's own Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond film
By The Canadian Press NEW YORK — Denis Villeneuve is going from Dune to Bond. Amazon MGM Studios announced Wednesday that Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond movie. The untitled film will be the first since the studio took creative reins of the storied film franchise after decades of control by the Broccoli family. Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman had maintained that before the next Bond is cast, they would develop a screenplay and find a director first. Now, they have one of the most respected blockbuster makers in Hollywood, who's coming off a pair of widely acclaimed Dune films. In a statement, the 57-year-old Quebec filmmaker said he grew up watching Bond movies. 'I'm a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he's sacred territory,' said Villeneuve. 'I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor.' Since taking creative control of Bond in February, Amazon MGM has worked quickly to get the next movie going. The studio is also trying to win over fans skeptical of the new corporate leadership and the fearful of future spinoffs. 'James Bond is in the hands of one of today's greatest filmmakers,' said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. With Pascal and Heyman lodged as producers and Villeneuve behind the camera, the next Bond movie will have an enviable brain trust. Villeneuve beat out a field of directors floated for the movie including Edward Berger (Conclave), Paul King (Paddington 2), Edgar Wright (Baby Driver) and Jonathan Nolan, co-creator of Westworld and brother to Christopher Nolan. 'Denis Villeneuve has been in love with James Bond movies since he was a little boy,' said Pascal and Heyman. 'It was always his dream to make this movie, and now it's ours, too.' No release date has been announced for the next Bond movie. Villeneuve will shoot the third Dune film this summer. If production on Bond began next year, a release sometime in 2027 would be likely. Villenevue's first two 'Dune' films have together surpassed $1 billion in box office worldwide and been nominated for a combined 15 Academy Awards, winning seven. His other films include Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Sicario, Prisoners, Enemy and Incendies. Amazon bought MGM Studios in 2022 for $8.5 billion, but didn't gain creative control of the studio's most prized asset until this year. Until this film, every Bond director has been handpicked by the Broccolis.
Canada News.Net
9 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
Western Canada Glaciers Melting Twice as Fast as in Previous Decade, Study Finds
Researchers say some glaciers in Western Canada and the United States lost 12% of their mass from 2021 to 2024, doubling melt rates compared to the previous decade in a continuation of a concerning global trend. The research led by University of Northern British Columbia professor Brian Menounos says low snow accumulation over winter, early-season heatwaves, and prolonged warm and dry spells were contributing factors, reports The Canadian Press. It says impurities such as ash from severe wildfire seasons have also "darkened" glaciers, causing them to absorb more heat and triggering a feedback loop that will lead to continued loss unless the ice is covered by fresh snow. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Geophysical Research Letters this week, examined glaciers in Western Canada and the United States, excluding Alaska and Yukon, as well as Switzerland, where glaciers lost 13% of their mass over the same period. The research letter says glaciers in both regions lost mass twice as fast as they did between 2010 and 2020. Menounos says climate change and its effects, including heatwaves and changing snow patterns, are draining the "bank account" of fresh water that glaciers contain. View our latest digests "Doubling the amount of water that's lost from those glaciers, we're sort of stealing from the future," says Menounos, the Canada Research Chair in glacier change. "We are just pulling and pulling away and making that bank account closer to zero and perhaps even negative. We're not replenishing these glaciers," he says. The research letter published Wednesday follows a 2021 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature that found glaciers outside the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost mass between 2010 and 2019 at double the rate they did in the first decade of this century. Menounos contributed to that study. The latest research combined aerial surveys with ground-based observations of three glaciers in Western Canada, four glaciers in the United States and 20 in Switzerland. The analysis shows that between 2021 and 2024, those glaciers experienced their highest rates of loss since monitoring began 60 years ago, Menounos says. The study says that in Western Canada and the United States, black carbon doubled after about 2010, reaching the highest level of deposition in 2023-coinciding with a severe wildfire season across British Columbia and Canada. The study did not include specific data relating to wildfire ash on each glacier, but Menounos says any darker material will absorb more heat and enhance melting. The researchers did zero in on the Haig Glacier in the Canadian Rockies, finding the low reflectivity of the ice contributed to 17% of an unprecedented loss of mass in 2022 and 2023. Summer heat had the greatest effect, responsible for 46% of the loss, the letter says. Current modelling for glaciers often doesn't include wildfire ash and other processes that could accelerate rates of loss in the future, Menounos added. "We think that wildfire will continue to play an important role and certainly we need better physical models to project how these glaciers are likely to change." Glaciers across the study area are projected to mostly disappear by the end of the century, even under moderate climate change scenarios. Only some of the largest glaciers and icefields are expected to exist beyond 2100, the research letter says. Swiss glaciers represent about 55% of the total volume of central European glaciers, and findings there may be applied across the Alps, the letter notes. From 2000 to 2023, the letter says Earth's glaciers collectively lost mass at a rate of about 273 gigatonnes per year, accounting for about one-fifth of observed sea-level rise. One gigatonne represents one cubic kilometre of water, Menounos says. "The way to perhaps bring some of the smallest glaciers back is, sometime in the future, with reduced greenhouse gas emissions," he says. "It's a global problem, it does require input from all countries." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025.
Canada Standard
11 hours ago
- Canada Standard
Western Canada Glaciers Melting Twice as Fast as in Previous Decade, Study Finds
Researchers say some glaciers in Western Canada and the United States lost 12% of their mass from 2021 to 2024, doubling melt rates compared to the previous decade in a continuation of a concerning global trend. The research led by University of Northern British Columbia professor Brian Menounos says low snow accumulation over winter, early-season heatwaves, and prolonged warm and dry spells were contributing factors, reports The Canadian Press. It says impurities such as ash from severe wildfire seasons have also "darkened" glaciers, causing them to absorb more heat and triggering a feedback loop that will lead to continued loss unless the ice is covered by fresh snow. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Geophysical Research Letters this week, examined glaciers in Western Canada and the United States, excluding Alaska and Yukon, as well as Switzerland, where glaciers lost 13% of their mass over the same period. The research letter says glaciers in both regions lost mass twice as fast as they did between 2010 and 2020. Menounos says climate change and its effects, including heatwaves and changing snow patterns, are draining the "bank account" of fresh water that glaciers contain. "Doubling the amount of water that's lost from those glaciers, we're sort of stealing from the future," says Menounos, the Canada Research Chair in glacier change. "We are just pulling and pulling away and making that bank account closer to zero and perhaps even negative. We're not replenishing these glaciers," he says. The research letter published Wednesday follows a 2021 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature that found glaciers outside the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost mass between 2010 and 2019 at double the rate they did in the first decade of this century. Menounos contributed to that study. The latest research combined aerial surveys with ground-based observations of three glaciers in Western Canada, four glaciers in the United States and 20 in Switzerland. The analysis shows that between 2021 and 2024, those glaciers experienced their highest rates of loss since monitoring began 60 years ago, Menounos says. The study says that in Western Canada and the United States, black carbon doubled after about 2010, reaching the highest level of deposition in 2023-coinciding with a severe wildfire season across British Columbia and Canada. The study did not include specific data relating to wildfire ash on each glacier, but Menounos says any darker material will absorb more heat and enhance melting. The researchers did zero in on the Haig Glacier in the Canadian Rockies, finding the low reflectivity of the ice contributed to 17% of an unprecedented loss of mass in 2022 and 2023. Summer heat had the greatest effect, responsible for 46% of the loss, the letter says. Current modelling for glaciers often doesn't include wildfire ash and other processes that could accelerate rates of loss in the future, Menounos added. "We think that wildfire will continue to play an important role and certainly we need better physical models to project how these glaciers are likely to change." Glaciers across the study area are projected to mostly disappear by the end of the century, even under moderate climate change scenarios. Only some of the largest glaciers and icefields are expected to exist beyond 2100, the research letter says. Swiss glaciers represent about 55% of the total volume of central European glaciers, and findings there may be applied across the Alps, the letter notes. From 2000 to 2023, the letter says Earth's glaciers collectively lost mass at a rate of about 273 gigatonnes per year, accounting for about one-fifth of observed sea-level rise. One gigatonne represents one cubic kilometre of water, Menounos says. "The way to perhaps bring some of the smallest glaciers back is, sometime in the future, with reduced greenhouse gas emissions," he says. "It's a global problem, it does require input from all countries." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025. Source: The Energy Mix
