Glaciers In Bolivia: A Comprehensive Overview

Bolivia is home to around 20% of the world's tropical glaciers, which are found in the Andean region of the country. These glaciers are very sensitive to the effects of climate change, and Bolivia has lost about half of its glaciers in the last 50 years. The glaciers in Bolivia are located in two main ranges of the Andes: the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental, which includes the Cordilleras Apolobamba, Real, and Tres Cruces. The glaciers in these ranges vary in type and areal extent, with some being ice caps, valley glaciers, or mountain glaciers. The total surface area of the glaciers in the Cordillera Occidental is about 10 square kilometers, while the glaciers in the Cordillera Oriental cover more than 550 square kilometers.

Bolivia has lost half its glaciers in 50 years

Bolivia is home to around 20% of the world's "tropical glaciers", which are very sensitive to the effects of climate change. According to the Andean Glaciers and Water Atlas published by UNESCO, Bolivia has lost around half of its glaciers in the last 50 years. The glaciers in Bolivia are restricted to the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains, with most located in the Cordillera Oriental in the Cordilleras Apolobamba, Real, and Tres Cruces, and in Nevado Santa Vera Cruz as ice caps, valley glaciers, and mountain glaciers. Their surface area covers more than 550 square kilometers.

The loss of these glaciers has had significant impacts on the country. Bolivia has faced a state-of-emergency drought, with the government declaring a state of emergency as it confronted its worst drought in at least 25 years. The capital city of La Paz and the second-largest city, El Alto, rely heavily on water from the glaciers in the surrounding Andean mountains. However, with the rapid shrinkage of these glaciers, the water supply has been severely affected. The armed forces have been called in to distribute water, emergency wells are being drilled, and schools have had to close earlier than usual.

The effects of climate change are evident in the shrinking snowline and the disappearance of glaciers. For instance, the Chacaltaya Glacier, which once hosted the world's highest ski resort, has completely vanished. The Charquini glacier, located about 20 kilometers from La Paz, is also retreating rapidly, losing 1.5 meters in thickness each year. This has led to concerns among scientists and climbers alike, who worry about the future of these glaciers and the potential consequences for the country's water supply.

Edson Ramirez, a glaciologist, noted that responsible tourism is required to preserve these fragile ecosystems. Ivette Gonzales, an indigenous 'cholita' climber, expressed her desire for people to continue enjoying the mountains while acknowledging the impact of global warming. The changes brought about by global warming have been evident for some time, and experts predict that current trends will result in the loss of 95% of Bolivia's permafrost by 2050, including the disappearance of almost all its glaciers.

The Tuni glacier has almost fully melted

Bolivia's glaciers are restricted to the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains in the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental. The glaciers in the South American country have been retreating as a result of climate change, and scientists predict that this will lead to water shortages in the capital, La Paz.

One glacier that has almost fully melted is the Tuni glacier. Scientists from the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA) have been monitoring the Tuni glacier and, in 2021, they reported that it had been reduced to just one square kilometer. The once sprawling glacier was predicted to last through 2025, but now its disappearance is imminent. According to Dr. Edson Ramírez, a university glaciologist, the entire sector was once covered with ice. Now, only discolored rock remains, exposed for the first time in centuries.

The Tuni glacier has been receding since the Little Ice Age, but the process has been accelerated by a fast-changing climate. Torrential rains and droughts have become more common, and mountain snows are less predictable. The melting of the Tuni glacier has contributed to water scarcity in La Paz, which relies on the glacier for about 20% of its water supply. The city faced a severe drought between 2016 and 2017, which forced residents to ration water and depleted reservoirs.

The Bolivian government has launched initiatives to construct new water reservoirs and supply lines to address the water scarcity. However, these measures may need to be accompanied by more efficient water use. Bolivia is highly vulnerable to climate disruptions but has contributed very little to the problem, accounting for just 0.1% of global annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Bolivia has 20% of the world's tropical glaciers

Bolivia is home to around 20% of the world's tropical glaciers. These glaciers are located in the Andean region of the country and are restricted to the highest mountain peaks. The glaciers in Bolivia are very sensitive to the effects of climate change and have been retreating rapidly. According to the Andean Glaciers and Water Atlas published by UNESCO, Bolivia has lost around half of its glaciers in the last 50 years. The loss of these glaciers has had a significant impact on the country and its people.

The glaciers in Bolivia are found in two main ranges of the Andes: the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental. In the Cordillera Occidental, the glaciers are located on extinct volcanoes in the western border region with Chile. These glaciers are small, with a total surface area of about 10 square kilometers. In contrast, the glaciers in the Cordillera Oriental are much more significant, with a glacier surface area of nearly 600 square kilometers. This range includes the mountain groups of the Cordillera Apolobamba, Real, and Tres Cruces, and Nevado Santa Vera Cruz.

The glaciers in Bolivia have been retreating due to rising temperatures and dwindling snowfall. The Tuni glacier, which once provided 20% of the Bolivian capital city of La Paz with water, has almost fully melted. The Charquini glacier, located near the administrative capital of La Paz, has been losing about 1.5 meters in thickness each year. The Chacaltaya Glacier, a popular ski resort, has also completely disappeared due to melting.

The Indigenous women climbers of Bolivia, known as the Cholita climbers, have been witnessing the effects of glacier melt firsthand. They have been climbing the Andean peaks for the past eight years, working as tourist guides. However, as the glaciers retreat, they worry about the future of their jobs. The loss of glaciers has also threatened the water supply in La Paz, leading to water rationing and the exploration of new water sources.

The future of Bolivia's tropical glaciers looks bleak. Experts estimate that current trends in global warming will result in the loss of 95% of the permafrost in Bolivia by 2050, including almost all its glaciers. This will have significant impacts on the country's water supply, agriculture, and tourism. It is crucial that efforts are made to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change to protect these vital natural resources.

Glaciers are restricted to the highest peaks of the Andes

Bolivia's glaciers are restricted to the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains. In the Cordillera Occidental, the glaciers are found as crater glaciers, small summit ice caps, and outlet glaciers on the extinct volcanoes in the northern part of the country. Their total surface area is about 10 square kilometers. Most of the glaciers are located in the Cordillera Oriental in the Cordilleras Apolobamba, Real, and Tres Cruces and in Nevado Santa Vera Cruz as ice caps, valley glaciers, and mountain glaciers. Their surface area covers more than 550 square kilometers.

The location, distribution, and mass balance of Bolivian glaciers are the result of the climate and the orientation and elevation of its mountain ranges. Bolivia lies completely within the tropics, so glaciers can only be found at the highest elevations. Even the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains at 6,000 meters and above cannot sustain glaciers south of latitude 18°30' S and have only temporary snow patches. No glaciers exist anywhere in southern Bolivia. The southern limit of glaciers in Bolivia is roughly equivalent to the northern line of the large salars in the central plateau (Altiplano) of the Andes.

The glaciers of Bolivia are also influenced by the daily cloud-cover cycle, which leaves the glaciers exposed to morning solar radiation from the north and east and protects the western slopes in the afternoon. As a result, the snowline on the western and southern slopes is substantially lower (100 to 300 meters lower) than on the eastern slopes.

The glaciers in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia are rapidly retreating due to climate change. Between 2000 and 2016, the area covered by glaciers in Peru shrank by nearly a third. Across the Andes, glaciers have lost nearly 3 feet in thickness annually since 2000. In the last 30 years, Bolivian glaciers have lost 40% of their thickness, and in the lower parts of the mountains, the ice has almost disappeared.

The loss of ice in the Andes poses a significant threat to water supplies and agriculture in Bolivia and other countries in the region. Glaciers are vital resources for communities in and around the Andes, where meltwater is used for drinking, irrigation, and hydroelectric power, especially during periods of drought. As the glaciers recede, there are concerns about the impact on tourism, an important source of income for many communities.

The Charquini glacier is disappearing

The Charquini glacier, located in the Andean mountains of Bolivia, is rapidly disappearing. Charquini sits in the Cordillera Real, a mountain range that divides the Amazon lowlands from the high Andean plateau, just 20 kilometres from the highland administrative capital, La Paz. Bolivia's glaciers are restricted to the highest peaks of the Andes, and Charquini is no exception, with its summit peaking at 5390 meters.

The Charquini glacier has been retreating at an alarming rate, losing approximately 1.5 metres in thickness each year, according to the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA) and the French Research Institute for Development. This reflects the wider issues facing glaciers throughout the Andes. Since the beginning of 2021, the melting of the Charquini glacier has attracted many Bolivian tourists, as the snowy layer that covers the mountain turns into a lake of crystal clear water. This has resulted in a tourist boom, with an average of 1000 daily visits on weekends.

However, this increased tourism activity has also accelerated the glacier's decline. The impact of tourism on the mountain has not only affected the snow but also the entire periglacial complex, including the surrounding rock ecosystem. The garbage left by visitors and the unruly trampling of the periglacial zone have significantly contributed to the glacier's melting. Experts predict that by 2050, Charquini will become another victim of a warming planet if it hasn't disappeared already.

The disappearance of Charquini is not an isolated incident. Bolivia has lost about half of its glaciers in the last 50 years, and this trend is expected to continue as climate change intensifies. The glaciers in the Cordillera Real began to lose mass at the end of the small ice age in the 17th century, but this process has accelerated due to global warming. The combination of rising temperatures, changes in precipitation, and the burning of the Amazon and Chiquitania have all contributed to the melting of the glaciers.

The melting of Charquini and other glaciers in Bolivia has significant implications for the country's ecosystems and communities. As the glaciers disappear, water reservoirs decline, affecting major highland cities like El Alto. Additionally, the loss of glaciers can lead to heat waves, rising sea levels, droughts, and floods, causing tremendous disorders for ecosystems and local communities.

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