Eñaut Izagirre: 'The impact of the glaciers is close than we think"
This paper-colloquium analysed the importance of mountain glaciers, with particular emphasis on their role as sensitive indicators of climate change. Furthermore, the United Nations has declared 2025 to be the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation; therefore, Eñaut Izagirre proposed to listeners a transnational collective journey: from the large frozen regions of Patagonia and Alaska, to the last small glaciers of the Pyrenees.
Eñaut Izagirre Estibaritz is originally from Elgoibar. He studied Geography at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU); he moved to Chilean Patagonia shortly afterwards to study a Master's Degree in Antarctic Science, majoring in glaciology, at Magallanes University. That is where he set up the 'Incognita Patagonia' project. Supported by a National Geographic grant, he combined science and exploration in this project and has since always included both in his mountaineering.
Izagirre is working towards a PhD at the Geography Department of the UPV/EHU, where his research area is the evolution of the glaciers of the Darwin Mountains in Tierra del Fuego; he is a guest researcher at the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3). He is currently a member of the CryoPyr Research Group at the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (IPE-CSIS).
Izagirre began his talk by recalling two UN dates. Specifically, 2025, declared the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation by the UN, and 21 March, which will be International Glacier Day each year. The UN is thus seeking to make people aware of the importance of glaciers and, as a result, the environmental, social and economic consequences of the changes occurring in the Earth's cryosphere. From the scientific point of view, the aim is to share the best practices and own knowledge of the field and to work on aspects related to the accelerated melting of the glaciers and its consequences.
Izagirre is immersed in this area, an example of which has been the programme offered at DSF. His speech answered three questions: from where we came (how glaciers have evolved), where we are (what is the current situation), and where we are going (predicting the future).
However, he did not only cover the scientific perspective, but also spoke about his experiences, as his career is closely tied to glaciers. He explained that he is witnessing first-hand the demise of the glaciers and that, like many other mountaineers, he is sad to witness the Pyrenean glaciers disappearing.
Cryosphere: frozen parts of the Earth
He moved on to the scientific aspects by explaining what the cryosphere is: "The meaning is clear from the word itself. 'Krios' comes from Greek and means cold. Therefore, the cryosphere would be the cold or frozen part of the Earth. At present, it is all those areas where the water is in solid state on our planet, both on the land surface and on the oceans; specifically, the frozen ice of the poles, the glaciers in the high mountain, sea ice and permafrost or frozen ground. Snow, another element that we often overlook, also forms part of the cryosphere. We must take into account the effect snow has on our water balance and also on our planet'.
He pointed out that the cryosphere is 'the planet's fridge' and recalled the importance of the albedo or how much a surface reflects the light: "Think about the effect that the colour of clothes has in summer; you will be cooler wearing white than black. Why? Because black or a dark colour absorbs the rays; as do asphalt or forests or oceans. Therefore, the cryosphere is now one of the main components of the planet's climate system. And politicians and the general public alike should know that the impact of the glaciers – social, economical and, of course, environmental – is closer than we thought'.
Evolution of the glaciers
Within the cryosphere, he first mentioned the continental ice, particularly the poles and Greenland, and then moved on to glaciers. Using photos, he highlighted several fundamental aspects of the glaciers: main fresh water reserves and regulators of river flows; responsible for sea level rising; indicators sensitive to climate change (at present); natural archives of the planet's history (in the past); holders of natural value and cultural heritage; biodiversity agents and the wetlands of high-lying mountain areas; sources of natural hazards…
Izagirre knows the glaciers of Patagonia and the Pyrenees well. After considering some differences between them, he took the audience to the Pyrenees.
He explained that they are the largest southernmost glacier complex in Europe and they were at their peak during the Little Ice Age. However, they have been losing surface area and thickness since 1850. In southern Europe, the Pyrenean glaciers are very sensitive to changes in climate conditions and are therefore very important as geo-indicators of climate change. Accordingly, it is significant that the loss has recently sped up.
He did not downplay the seriousness of the situation: 'Since the Little Ice Age, the glaciers have been shrinking and losing surface area year after year. This phenomenon has been speeding up as the result of global warming; our studies have shown that the heat waves of the 2022 and the continuously high temperatures of 2023 had a huge effect on glaciers. Up until them, they shrank by one metre year on year; however, they shrank by three metres in those two summers. They are now at the highest point that they can be; they cannot be higher. That is why we are sure they are going to disappear and, furthermore, much sooner than earlier models had predicted'.
Awareness-raising
Izagirre ended with his hope that the evolution of the glaciers would make us realise of the scope of the climate emergency and he encouraged the audience to enjoy the beauty of the glaciers before they disappear completely. He also recommended watching the Glaziarrak agurtzen (Farewell to Glaciers) documentary. The documentary, directed by Izagirre himself, is in four parts (Aneto, Infiernos, Perdido and Vignemale, the names of four glaciers in the Pyrenees) and is available on the Primeran platform.
After he finished speaking, the audience seized the opportunity to ask questions and express their concern. Along with Izagirre, several of them had already seen for themselves that the Pyrenean glaciers are disappearing. It was an opportunity to discuss a highly topical issue with a top-tier expert.
