Glaciers and freshwater: future prospects

From the Alps to the Himalayas, a journey to understand how climate change is reshaping the availability of freshwater, an essential resource for agriculture, water supply, hydropower generation and biodiversity.

The gradual retreat of glaciers, accelerated by rising global temperatures, is drastically reducing glacial meltwater supplies, while extreme weather events, such as prolonged droughts and erratic precipitation, further exacerbate the water crisis.

These changes threaten not only the survival of mountain and valley communities that depend on this resource, but also local economies, increasing the risk of social instability and conflicts over access to water.

We'll discuss the issue with Guglielmina Diolaiuti - glaciologist at the University of Milan, Alberto Bellin - hydraulic engineer at the University of Trento, and Valeria Lencioni, hydrobiologist and coordinator of the  Clima ed Ecologia del MUSE |Climate and Ecology Research Scope at the MUSE.