19 November 2025
The United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Glacier Preservation and has designated 21 March as the annual World Glacier Day starting in 2025. This decision underscores the need to increase global awareness of the role of glaciers, snow, and ice in the climate system and the hydrological cycle, as well as the serious socio-economic and environmental consequences of their rapid change.
At the side event on 19 November in the Cryosphere Pavilion, participants reviewed the progress of the two working groups of the International Year of Glacier Preservation:
· Working Group 1: Global Team of the International Year of Glacier Preservation 2025,
· Working Group 4: Policy Advocacy, Partnerships, and Resource Mobilization.
Nazirzoda Kamoliddin representative of the Hydrometeorology Agency of the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, emphasized in his speech that the glaciers of Tajikistan, as one of the country’s most important national priorities, must be carefully protected and maintained, as they are the primary source of the region’s water resources. At the same time, he presented the key outcomes of the International Glacier Preservation Conference, which served as a platform for global dialogue to launch the “Decade of Action for Cryosphere Sciences 2025–2034,” aimed at strengthening research, cooperation, and the study of glaciers at the international level.
Next Steps for Tajikistan in Glacier Preservation
During the event, three important initiatives were presented, aimed at further strengthening scientific cooperation and glacier monitoring in the region:
1. Establishment of a Regional Coordination Center for Glaciology in Dushanbe under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The center will contribute to strengthening regional cooperation, harmonizing data, and supporting science-based decision-making.
2. Organization of an international scientific and practical expedition to the glaciers of Tajikistan.
The expedition is expected to involve leading international glaciological institutes and interested partners. Tajikistan has invited all countries and organizations to join the expedition and contribute to its successful implementation.
3. Full restoration of the historic Gorbunov Meteorological Station on the Vandzhakh (Fedchenko) Glacier and its transformation into an International High-Mountain Glaciological Observatory.
The renovated station will serve as a unique platform for long-term monitoring and international scientific collaboration.
12.12.2025