Three B.C. glaciers face extinction within decades due to climate change, study says

Three glaciers in British Columbia's southwest could disappear completely within decades, according to a study published in the journal Annals of Glaciology. The Whistler Glacier, in particular, is facing imminent extinction, having shrunk by 95 percent in the last five decades. The Horstman and Blackcomb glaciers have lost up to 75 percent of their area over the same period and will likely melt completely within the next few decades.

Lead researcher Chloé Monty says that while glaciers are retreating globally due to climate change, the shrinkage in these three B.C. glaciers was particularly alarming. She emphasizes that there is no way to save these glaciers from extinction, but it is not too late to prevent larger glaciers in B.C. and Canada from disappearing.

Reducing carbon emissions could help prevent the larger glaciers from shrinking. Monty notes that once glaciers fall below certain thresholds, they could be classified as "ice patches," a term still debated among experts. The study serves as a stark warning of the consequences if no steps are taken to mitigate climate change.