Glaciers are melting at an alarming rate worldwide. Since 2000, over 6,500 billion tons of ice have disappeared. That’s as much water as the entire global population consumes in three decades.
The glaciers of East Africa are vanishing at an alarming rate. Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, and the Rwenzori Mountains three of the continent’s most iconic peaks are losing their ice faster than almost anywhere else on Earth. By 2040, Kilimanjaro’s glaciers could be gone. Mount Kenya’s ice may disappear even sooner, by 2030.
Unesco Director-General Audrey Azoulay said this isn’t just a regional issue; it’s a global crisis with profound implications for water security, food production, and the livelihoods of millions.
A Global Water Crisis
Globally, nearly two billion people rely on water from glaciers, snowmelt, and mountain runoff. These “water towers” store freshwater and release it slowly, providing a reliable source of water during warmer months. But climate change is disrupting this natural balance. Between 2000 and 2023, glaciers worldwide lost over 6,500 billion tons of ice, roughly the amount of water the entire global population consumes in 30 years. This loss is accelerating. The last three years have seen the largest global loss of glacial ice on record.
In East Africa, the situation is dire. Between 1990 and 2015, the region’s glaciers lost an estimated 80% of their mass. Mount Kenya’s glacial area decreased by 44% between 2004 and 2016. Mount Kilimanjaro’s ice shrank from 4.8 km² in 1984 to 1.7 km² in 2011. The Rwenzori Mountains, shared by Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, saw their glacial area halve from 2 km² in 1987 to 1 km² in 2003. Rising air temperatures, declining rainfall, and reduced atmospheric moisture are driving this rapid decline
Water Scarcity and Conflict
The loss of these glaciers is already having severe consequences for local communities. More than two million people in Tanzania and Kenya depend on water from Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. The Ngare Ndare River, fed by Mount Kenya’s glaciers, has seen its water levels drop by 30% in the last decade. This decline is leading to increased conflict between herders and farmers struggling to access dwindling water resources.
A recent study found that 66% of people along the Naromoru River in Kenya believe the melting of Mount Kenya’s glaciers has reduced river flow downstream. Older residents, who have witnessed the changes over decades, are the most concerned. Scientific studies confirm these observations, showing that glacial melt and snowfall contribute significantly to river systems. But as the ice disappears, so does this vital water source.
While the impact of glacier disappearance on water resources at the regional scale may be minimal, glaciers contribute less than 2% to the total discharge of principal rivers in the Rwenzori Mountains. Localized seasonal impacts are severe. Around Mount Kilimanjaro, many canals in the foothills have dried up, and stream water levels are decreasing, leading to local conflicts over access to water.
A Cultural and Historical Loss
The snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro. Photo Credit: African Safaris
The glaciers of East Africa are not just a source of water—they are also a cultural and historical treasure. Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers are nearly 12,000 years old. They have inspired countless climbers, tourists, and scientists. But as the ice disappears, so does a piece of the region’s identity.
Ice climber Will Gadd, who returned to Mount Kilimanjaro in 2020, found that some of the glaciers he had climbed just six years earlier had declined by 70%. He observed that this rapid loss shows the fragility of our planet’s ecosystems.
Role of Forests in Water Security
While glaciers are often the focus of discussions about water towers, forested mountains play an equally critical role. Mountain forests capture, store, purify, and release water to lowland areas. In East Africa, montane forests in the Albertine Rift, Ethiopian Highlands, and Kenyan Highlands are vital for water supply, flood mitigation, and biodiversity preservation.
Kenya’s montane forests, including the Aberdare Range, Cherangani Hills, Mau Forest Complex, Mount Elgon, and Mount Kenya, are the sources of many of the country’s rivers. They provide an estimated 75% of Kenya’s water resources, which are used for irrigation, industrial needs, and hydropower, generating 60% of the country’s electricity. However, these forests are under threat from deforestation, overgrazing, and unplanned human settlements.
The Mau Forest, one of Kenya’s largest water catchment areas, lost 25% of its forest cover between 2000 and 2020. Similar degradation is occurring in the Cherangani Hills and Mount Elgon, further compounding water security challenges.
Global Implications
The loss of East Africa’s glaciers is part of a larger global trend. Glaciers worldwide are melting at unprecedented rates, contributing to rising sea levels and disrupting global climate systems. Between 2000 and 2023, glaciers collectively lost 6542 billion metric tonnes of ice, contributing 18 millimeters to global sea–level rise. While this might seem small, every millimeter exposes an additional 200,000 to 300,000 people to annual flooding.
According to a UNESCO report, glacier melt is currently the second-largest contributor to sea-level rise, after the warming of the oceans. If current trends continue, many of the world’s glaciers will not survive the 21st century. This will have far-reaching consequences for global water security, food production, and climate stability.
What Can Be Done
The United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation and established March 21 as World Glacier Day. These initiatives aim to raise awareness of the important role glaciers play in the global water cycle and the urgent need to protect them.
UNESCO report recommends that governments, NGOs, and local communities must work together to address the root causes of glacier loss and adapt to the changes already underway. This includes reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, investing in water storage infrastructure, and promoting sustainable land and water management practices.
In East Africa, UNESCO is leading the “Unlocking the Kilimanjaro Water Tower” project, funded with $8 million from the Global Environment Facility. The project aims to benefit over two million people in Tanzania and Kenya by improving groundwater storage and supply during the dry season. It also seeks to restore 400 square kilometers of degraded cloud forests and strengthen the management of protected areas.
