Antarctic glacier named after the Glasgow climate negotiations at COP26
Nine glaciers located in remote areas of the western Antarctic ice sheet have new names. On October 31, the Antarctic Geographical Names Committee accepted the proposal to rename the glacier after the city that signed the corresponding climate treaty.
The Gates region of the Antarctic ice cap.Photo courtesy: Pierre Dutrieux
Heather Selley, an Antarctic ice sheet researcher from the University of Leeds, submitted the proposal to the committee. “We have seen 42 years of opportunities for cooperation in international science and climate policy decision-making,” Sely said. “I have studied climate change for most of the decade at a personal level, and it feels very special to pay tribute to the scientific community that has made outstanding efforts to measure the current impact of climate change and its predicted future evolution.”
The new names are Geneva, Rio, Berlin, Kyoto, Bali, Stockholm, Paris, and Glasgow, the northernmost glacier in the sequence. Sely hopes that naming the glacier for the current climate negotiations will highlight the importance of the crisis. “I think we need to be clear about why we are fighting,” Saili said. “I hope it sends a strong message calling for action. Whether this glacier and the legacy of this generation will become the moment when mankind stands out will depend on the decisions and commitments made at COP26. “
The newly named Getz ice sheet glacier. Image courtesy of Heather Selley.
The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest single piece of ice on the planet.In the past 20 years, it has lost on average 149 billion metric tons The annual decrease in ice is the main factor in the rise of sea levels. The ice sheet is in danger, but Sely is optimistic that COP26 may be a turning point. “I hope to be able to make ambitious concrete actions, timetables and commitments, and more importantly, to be able to deliver,” she said. “Glasgow Glacier emphasized that now is the time to decide what kind of legacy we want this generation to leave. “
