Glaciers may seem remote from the concerns of most people in the world. Their location atop high mountains makes them distant from population centers. Yet they bring new insights at the present time, since they lie at the frontlines of climate change. The mountain communities who take steps to address changing water supplies and natural hazards provide lessons for others who seek new forms of adaptation, policy and advocacy. The researchers who integrate geoscience and ecology in the study of landscapes guide research in sustainability in other areas as well. And the sheer beauty and majesty of glaciers inspire Indigenous peoples, climbers, artists and others, showing the depth of human connection to the natural world. Each week, GlacierHub offers these stories and images, showing the relevance of the world’s high icy places for all humanity.
The GlacierHub blog is managed by Ben Orlove, an anthropologist at the Columbia Climate School and the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions at Columbia University. Writers Aliyah Elfar, Emily Denny, Jaden Hill, Pria Mahadevan, Shea Strippel, and Tymesha-Elizabeth Kindell are currently enrolled at, or recently graduated from, Columbia University. Jenna Travers is a student at the University of Oregon. Lily Roberts is a recent graduate of the University of Exeter. Elza Bouhassira, a current Duke Law student and graduate of the Sciences Po-Columbia University Dual BA Program, is senior editor.
Check out GlacierHub’s archival content here.
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An innovative project led by Chilean engineers tests an Indigenous Himalayan technology in a new place. It has faced unique sociopolitical challenges.
New international assessment finds emissions and climate policy falls short in the high mountain regions of Asia, threatening billions of people and species in the area.
At a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change side event in early June, representatives from several countries discussed the urgent need to address global loss of water and sea-level rise.
A recent study uses a sediment core to reconstruct paleoclimate in the early and middle Holocene and Neoglacial periods.
From glaciers and landslides to displacement and flooding, two Columbia University professors broke down academic silos and reflected on water issues.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s assessment report issues catastrophic warning if immediate climate action is not taken by governments across the globe.
New investigations bring the trail’s originator, Catherine Montgomery, into focus nearly a century later.
New research shows that retreat of an ice sheet in the Pacific Northwest led to many volcanic explosions and ocean areas with low oxygen that threatened the health of marine ecosystems.
With imagery representing Puget Sound, the Cascade Ranges, and expansive orchards, a new state flag seeks to foster both pride and preservation.
Photographer Steven Giovinco shared his thoughts on the creative process behind his images on display in a new exhibition, ‘On The Arctic Edge’.
