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Published on
26.03.25
Africa’s glaciers hold the future of water for millions, and we must act on World Water Day before they vanish.
By Olufunke Cofie and Maimouna Tall
As we mark World Water Day 2025 on March 22 under the theme Glacier Preservation and World Day for Glaciers on March 21, we are reminded of the intricate and fragile balance of our planet’s water systems. Glaciers, often referred to as the “water towers of the world,” are critical to the survival of billions of people. They are not just icy relics of the past; they are dynamic, life-sustaining reservoirs that feed rivers, support ecosystems, and provide water for agriculture, energy, and livelihoods. Yet, these majestic ice formations are under threat, and their rapid disappearance is a stark reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and its cascading impacts on water resources.
In Africa, glaciers may seem like a distant reality, but they are very much part of our continent’s landscape. The glaciers of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Kenya in Kenya, and the Rwenzori Mountains on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are iconic symbols of Africa’s natural heritage. However, these glaciers could disappear entirely, much like the glaciers that once crowned the Bale and Arsi Mountains in Ethiopia. The mountains in Ethiopia, which rise above 4,000 meters, were glaciated during the last cold period but have since lost their ice cover.
Research led by Anne Hinzmann and her team at Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) in Germany reveals that Africa’s glaciers have lost more than 90% of their area since the late 19th century. This includes Kilimanjaro, home to Africa’s largest ice fields, which has seen its glaciers decline from 11.4 square kilometers in 1900 to 0.98 square kilometers in recent years.
This drastic retreat is not just a tragedy for biodiversity and tourism; it is a warning sign of the inevitable changes occurring in our water systems.