'The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Glacier Preservation.' Bring out the ecological and socio-economic significance of glaciers. What are the key challenges in preserving them? What measures have been taken at national and international levels towards preservation of glaciers?

1. River water regime by glacial melting.

2. Cryosphere preserves many zoonotic parasites causing disease in Siberia.

3. Albedo effect to reduce climate warming. (Regulate earth temp)

4. Polar biodiversity preserved in Penguins, sea mammals.

B) Socio-economic

1. 3rd pole of Himachal → Rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra as Lifelines.
2. Fresh water storage → 'Water as new oil'
3. Polar communities Livelihood eg Eskimoes

Challenges →

1. Global warming led melting → higher pace and decline.
2. Natural factors → Atlantic circulation, El-Nino effect.
3. Reversal not possible → only prevention and response.
4. Isolated and extreme weather conditions.
5. 'Global commons problem' → Antarctic as no one's problem.
6. Exploitative use → Arctic oil, navigation. ↳ claims of all countries.

Measures taken →

A) National level

1. National Mission on Sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem (NMSHE) by NAPCCC (combating climate change).
2. Member of Arctic Council → Observer state
3. Signed Antarctic treaty → peaceful use.
4. Paris deal and Panchamrit principles

B) International level

1. Treaty based mechanisms → Arctic Council, Antarctic treaty
2. Glacial re-freezing via interventions by Canada and Iceland
3. Paris climate deal to reduce temperature rise under 2°C
4. Montreal Protocol for ozone layer.