Another initiative of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan to declare 2025 as the International Year for the Glaciers’ Preservation was adopted by the UN General Assembly

On December 14, 2022 the UN General Assembly, in its 77th session, unanimously adopted the draft resolution entitled “International Year for Glaciers’ Preservation, 2025”, initiated by Tajikistan. This recent initiative of the President of Tajikistan, H.E. Emomali Rahmon, has been cosponsored by 153 UN Member-States. The resolution is unique in terms of containing both the declaration of an International Day and International Year.
It should be recalled that in March 2021, during the first meeting of the Water and Climate Coalitions Leaders, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, highlighted that the rapid melting of glaciers along with the increase in water consumption, that are linked to a growing population and economic development, may have serious and negative consequences. To this end, the President of Tajikistan to raise awareness of this important issue at the international level proposed to declare 2025 as the International Year of Glacier Preservation, to determine the International Day of Glacier Preservation, as well as establish and a special International Fund for Glacier Preservation.
Based on the adopted resolution, the proposals of the President of Tajikistan were supported by the UN member states, including:
— Designation of March 21 as the International Day for Glacier’s Preservation;
— Declaration of 2025 as an International Year of Glacier’s Preservation;
— Establishing a Trust fund in support of activities for glaciers’ preservation;
— In 2025, convening the International Conference on Glacier’s preservation in Dushanbe.
The resolution notes the importance of glaciers as a component of the hydrological cycle and that the current accelerated melting and retreat of glaciers has severe impacts on the climate, environment, human health, and sustainable development. It also notes that global warming has lead to the widespread shrinking of the cryosphere which has decreased the stability of high mountain areas and changed the amount and seasonality of run-off and water resources in snow dominated and glacier-fed river basins, as well as contributed to localized declines in agricultural yields, increased water scarcity, and increased global mean sea level.
The big number of cosponsors of the resolution is once again a testimony that the international community has full trust for the initiatives and contributions of Tajikistan in tackling global challenges.