A powerful call to action to protect the world's glaciers through stories, science, and stunning imagery.

Overview

Glaciers on the Edge is a collaborative publication by UNESCO and GRID-Arendal created for the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation 2025. This exhibition-style booklet highlights the critical role glaciers play in ecosystems, cultures, and economies, while showcasing their rapid retreat due to climate change. Through compelling photography, scientific insights, and personal narratives from communities living near glaciers, the publication raises awareness of the urgent need for global cooperation to preserve these vital frozen reservoirs.

What You’ll Find

• Case studies from UNESCO World Heritage sites and Biosphere Reserves around the globe

• Thirteen Key Messages developed by the IYGP25 Advisory Board

• Stories from scientists, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and youth advocates

• Visual storytelling through maps, satellite imagery, and illustrations

• Emphasis on the socio-cultural and ecological impacts of glacial melt

Why It Matters
Glaciers are disappearing at an alarming rate, threatening freshwater supplies, biodiversity, cultural heritage, and global sea levels. This publication is both a tribute to what remains and a rallying cry for action. It aligns with GRID-Arendal's mission to transform science into compelling stories that inspire environmental stewardship and drive systemic change. By making complex cryospheric issues accessible and relatable, Glaciers on the Edge supports evidence-based policy, climate resilience, and community adaptation.

Skills: Environmental Policy Graphic Design Creative Direction Design Layout Storytelling Visual Storytelling

Tags: climate change cryosphere glacier