Time Is Running Out for Uganda’s Vanishing Glaciers

Glaciers are shrinking on Africa’s three highest peaks, Kilimanjaro, Kenya, and the Rwenzoris, resulting from global warming, which is causing temperatures to rise and precipitation patterns to change. In the Rwenzoris, glaciers occur at a relatively low altitude of 4,400 meters and receive significant precipitation, but warming air is causing ice to melt faster than it can be replaced by rain. On Kilimanjaro and Kenya, where ice occurs at higher elevations, precipitation has declined and the ice is evaporating. 

Global warming is causing ecosystems in mountain regions to change, and species are moving to higher elevations in search of cooler temperatures. However, there is a limit to how far plants and animals can move, and eventually, species will disappear from the top of mountains. The disappearance of ice in mountain regions will also have significant impacts on cryospheric systems, hydrological regimes and biodiversity, according to the Mountain Research Initiative. 

Mountains in sub-Saharan Africa contain unique ecosystems with rare and endangered species, such as the Rwenzori red duiker, an endangered subspecies of antelope. Hiking in the Rwenzoris, the author of this article discovered plants such as giant groundsels, which have adapted to the harsh environment with a coat of dead leaves that protects them from the cold. However, as temperatures increase, even these hardy species may be at risk of disappearing. 

In addition to the ecological impacts, melting of glaciers on Africa’s highest peaks is affecting local communities that rely on water from streams and rivers fed by the glaciers. Decreased water availability will have an impact on agriculture and hydropower generation. Local communities will need to adapt to changing conditions, and governments need to develop strategies for mitigating the impacts of climate change on mountain regions.



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