When the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2025-2034 as the Decade of Cryospheric Sciences, it was a clear call to the global scientific community. The announcement highlights the urgent need to study the frozen realms of our planet, collectively known as the cryosphere, which includes glaciers, ice caps, sea ice, permafrost, and snow cover.
But what exactly are cryospheric sciences, and why are they so critical in history? And also, how is technology transforming our ability to understand and protect these fragile environments?
The Cryosphere: Earth's Frozen Reservoirs
One must first understand the cryosphere to grasp the importance of cryospheric sciences. The term comes from the Greek word “kryos,” meaning cold or icy. The cryosphere constitutes all the frozen water on Earth, including polar ice sheets, mountain glaciers, and even seasonal snow cover.
These icy landscapes serve critical ecological, climatological, and hydrological functions. But what does it mean for the average human being? Why should we care?
Let me put it this way: based on my understanding, polar ice caps act as gigantic mirrors, reflecting sunlight and regulating Earth’s temperature. Meanwhile, mountain glaciers provide fresh water to billions of people and ecosystems worldwide. Sea ice influences ocean currents and global weather patterns. Yet, all these systems are under existential threat from anthropogenic climate change because temperatures continue to rise faster in the polar regions than anywhere else.
The Decade of Cryospheric Sciences
The UN declaration came at a crucial time this year. Did you know that between 1994 and 2017, the Earth lost an estimated 28 trillion tonnes of ice, according to a 2021 study published in The Cryosphere?
This dramatic loss contributes to rising sea levels, disruptions in freshwater availability, and even feedback loops that exacerbate global warming. If you still think global warming doesn't exist, quickly look at everything that unfolded this year. The UN aims to consolidate international efforts to understand, monitor, and address these challenges.
Technology's Role
The cryosphere is often located in remote and hostile environments, which presents unique challenges for researchers who need access and would be unable to do so independently. Technology advancements are breaking down these barriers, enabling more precise and impactful studies that better understand this evolution.
One of the most transformative technologies in cryospheric sciences is satellite remote sensing. Satellites such as NASA’s ICESat-2 and the European Space Agency’s CryoSat-2 provide invaluable data on ice sheet elevation, sea ice thickness, and glacier movement.
With their ability to monitor vast areas continuously, satellites offer an unparalleled view of how the cryosphere is evolving. For example, the GRACE-FO (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On) satellites measure tiny variations in Earth’s gravitational field caused by shifting ice and water masses.
We also have the deployment of autonomous technologies, including underwater drones and robotic sensors, which are revolutionizing data collection.
These systems can navigate treacherous environments, such as the undersides of ice shelves or subglacial lakes, places previously inaccessible to humans.
For example, the British Antarctic Survey’s Autosub Long Range, also known as Boaty McBoatface, has been used to explore deep beneath the Thwaites Glacier, often referred to as the “Doomsday Glacier” due to its potential to trigger catastrophic sea-level rise. Such missions give researchers critical insights into how warm ocean currents interact.
AI's revolution and machine learning also enhance the analysis of the massive datasets generated by satellites, drones, and field observations. Another example is how machine learning algorithms are used to map glacier extents and classify snow cover in satellite imagery, tasks that would be prohibitively time-consuming for researchers.
Another point, AI-powered climate models are refining our understanding of how cryospheric changes cascade through global systems, affecting everything on our planet, from weather patterns to agricultural yields.
Challenges
While the technological advancements in cryospheric sciences are inspiring, they are not without challenges. High costs, limited access to infrastructure, and geopolitical tensions in polar regions can hinder research efforts.
Ethical considerations around Indigenous communities and environmental impacts must also guide scientific endeavors. For instance, the Arctic is home to numerous indigenous peoples whose cultures and livelihoods are deeply intertwined with the cryosphere.
Their traditional knowledge offers invaluable insights into these environments and should be integrated into scientific research, not sidelined by technological dominance. Something that happens too often.
The Decade of Cryospheric Sciences is as much about inspiring action as it is about extending knowledge.
The UN is hopeful that this decade will create a new generation of scientists, policymakers, and technologists who can tackle the pressing challenges of our time.
Imagine a world where students learn about the cryosphere’s role in their daily studies, sparking curiosity and commitment to protecting these icy realms.
As this new historic decade begins this week, through the combined efforts of scientists, technologists, and global citizens, we have an incredible opportunity to deepen our understanding and forge solutions that ensure a sustainable future. It is our planet, after all, and we must support the studies that will allow future generations to maintain it and not destroy it.
The Decade of Cryospheric Sciences is not just a scientific endeavor but a moral imperative. It calls upon us to embrace innovation, prioritize collaboration, which I will never get tired of saying, and act urgently to protect Earth’s frozen frontiers.
As the ice melts, the time to act is now. As I always say, together, we are stronger.
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