Year: 2026
Type: report
Abstract: On August 13, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 78/321, proclaiming 2025 to 2034 as the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences. The resolution aims to accelerate efforts to address the urgent challenges posed by the melting cryosphere through enhanced scientific research, monitoring, and international cooperation. It contributes to and complements global science initiatives, aligning not only with the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033) but also with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (2025), and the 5th International Polar Year (2032–2033). The resolution highlights the need to understand the cryosphere’s role in the Earth’s climate system, freshwater resources, ecosystems, and human social, political, and economic activities. It also calls for raising awareness of cryospheric loss and encourages the sharing of best practices to build resilience against related risks. Member States, UN bodies, and stakeholders are invited to support these activities. UNESCO is tasked with leading implementation of the Decade, with other UN organizations and partners, using voluntary contributions to develop programmes. This document synthesises key tasks and an implementation strategy for the Decade. It is based on the brainstorming session held on 20 March 2025, at UNESCO Headquarters, the resulting thematic reports, and discussions held by the Ad Hoc Committee for the Decade in 2025 (notably at UNESCO Headquarters, 9th-10th December, 2025)
Author: UNESCO
Language: English
Subfield: Atmospheric Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7154817733