The Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action (BISCA) and the Birmingham Water Research Centre commemorated World Water Day 2025 with a series of events centred around the theme Glacier Preservation. This focus highlighted the critical role glaciers play as long-term freshwater reserves and their influence on ecosystems and human communities.
Throughout the week leading up to World Water Day, we hosted four distinct talks addressing pivotal topics:
•Monday, 17 March 2025: Professor Alexander Milner from the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences presented “Climate Change and Glacier-fed Rivers,” exploring the impacts of climate change on glacial rivers.
•Tuesday, 18 March 2025: Dr. Lauren Somers of Dalhousie University delivered “High-drogeology: Mountain Groundwater Under Climate Change,” focusing on mountain groundwater systems amidst climate change
•Wednesday, 19 March 2025: Professor Wouter Buytaert from Imperial College London discussed “Co-producing Local Knowledge for Global Water Security,” emphasizing collaborative approaches to water security.
•Thursday, 20 March 2025: Dr. Jon Mackay of the British Geological Survey presented “Glacier Retreat and Water Resource Impact Modelling: Perspectives from a Hydrologist,” examining the consequences of glacier retreat on water resources.
Recordings for these talks are available, please contact s.hira@bham.ac.uk to be sent the links.
The week culminated on Friday, 21 March 2025 with a panel discussion. This session featured presentations and discourse on various topics, including:
•Downstream Thinking in the Peruvian Andes: Glaciers, Groundwater, and Community Adaptation
•Climate Warming, Glacial Lake Outbursts, and Downstream Impacts
•Glaciers and Water Security: Priorities and Future Directions
•Snow in a Changing Climate: Impacts on Glaciers and Water Resources
•From Measurements to Emotions: Contamination in Glacier-fed Catchments
The panel comprised a diverse range of speakers, from early career researchers to esteemed professors, including:
•Thomas Gribbin, Doctoral Researcher, British Geological Survey
•Professor Rachel Carr, Professor in Glaciology, Newcastle University
•Dr. Nick Barrand, Associate Professor of Glaciology, University of Birmingham
•Dr. Sihan Li, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, University of Sheffield
•Dr. Caroline Clason, Associate Professor of Physical Geography, Durham University
Chairs for the events included Professor David Hannah, Professor Stefan Krause, Professor Iseult Lynch and Dr. Shasha Han, who chaired a talk during the week.
These events attracted over 200 participants from 34 countries across multiple continents, including Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, reflecting a broad cultural and geographical spectrum.
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