Iceland’s First Glacier

By: Andrea Wiittenbarger

A glacier in Iceland has recently disappeared. It has been Iceland’s first glacier to melt. The reason for the glacier disappearing is from climate change. The glacier was 700 years old and it once spanned 15 square miles. The glacier has since melted into a lake. It even had a name, which was Okjokull.

           The people of Iceland held a funeral for the glacier. 100 people made a two hour hike up a mountain just for the funeral, and the children put up a plaque. The plaque says, “This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it”. Geologists said all of their ice masses will be gone in 200 years. The melting of Greenland’s ice sheet could raise sea levels more than 5 feet in the next 200 years. Iceland’s prime minister said she will make climate change a priority. Over the next 200 years, 400 more glaciers are predicted to disappear including their largest, Vatna. Currently, Iceland loses 11 billion tons of ice masses every year. 

            Iceland’s prime minister says she hopes the ceremony will be an inspiration to everyone because the glacier is just one tragedy of climate change. The plaque that was put up during the ceremony is intended to raise awareness about the melting glaciers and climate change. 

            Some potential hazards of the glaciers melting is that because of the rising ocean levels, people could be displaced from their homes and forced to move. Some islands might be put underwater, like the Maldives and the Marshall Islands. Many people depend on the glaciers for drinking water, so without the glaciers it would threaten the water supply. The melting glaciers could also threaten the food supply. It can cause a health crisis. The glaciers melting could cause flooding. The flooding could cause untreated sewage to go everywhere. It will pollute the water, harm wildlife, and help spread diseases.