Rivers of Ice: Earth’s Glaciers

The global rise in temperatures during the past century have directly impacted the health of the world’s glaciers. These massive “rivers of ice” are home to 2.1% of the world’s water, but with nearly 75% of the world’s freshwater, glaciers are the largest reserves for freshwater on Earth. The health of glaciers is critically important to ecosystems worldwide (glaciers are found on every continent, excluding Australia).

As temperatures rise, glacier ice melts and drives freshwater into rivers, oceans and other bodies of water. Alpine glaciers (found in mountainous areas) are sources for freshwater for many communities worldwide as well as providing water for energy plants. Disappearing alpine glaciers would have devastating effects on many countries and millions of people worldwide. Melting ice sheets (these types of glaciers are found in Antarctica, Greenland and in the Arctic) contribute to rising sea levels and deposit large amounts of freshwater into oceans and inland seas, significantly affecting their ecosystems. Prolific landscape photographer Martin Zwick (represented by UIG contributing partner Cubo Images) captures the natural beauty and raw power of these massive, ever-moving ice fields and their importance to our planet.

Skaftafelljoekull glacier in the Vatnajoekull NP during Winter. The frozen glacial lake with icebergs. Iceland.
Ice cave in the glacier Breidamerkurjoekull in Vatnajoekull National Park. Tourists entering the ice cave. Iceland.
Ice cave and glacier snout of Schlatenkees. Source of the creek Schlatenbach. Parts have collapsed and melted away. Therefore an ice cave with two openings exists. The Schlatenkees is one of the biggest glaciers in Austria and retreating rapidly. Glacial till, moraine debris and roche moutonnee are visible. East Tyrol, Austria.
Reichenspitz moutain range in the Zillertal Alps in NP Hohe Tauern. Upper Lake Gerlos. Tyrol, Austria.
Svinafellsjoekull glacier in Vatnajoekull NP during Winter. View over the frozen glacial lake and the melting glacial front. Iceland.
Glacier Svinafellsjoekul in the Vatnajoekull NP during winter. View towards the outwash plain or sandur. Iceland.
Skaftafelljoekull glacier in the Vatnajoekull NP during Winter. Iceland.
Sunrise and storm on the Breidamerkurjoekull a glacier of the Vatnajoekull NP during winter. Iceland.
Glacier Svinafellsjoekul in the Vatnajoekull NP during winter. The frozen glacial lake with icebergs. Iceland.
Glacier Svinafellsjoekul in the Vatnajoekull NP during winter. The frozen glacial lake with icebergs. Iceland.
Glacier Svinafellsjoekul in the Vatnajoekull NP during winter. The glacier front and the frozen glacial lake. Iceland.
Ssunrise and winter storm on the glacier Breithamerkurjoekull in the Vatnajoekull NP, Iceland.
Ilulissat Icefjord also called kangia or Ilulissat Kangerlua at Disko Bay in West Greenland. The icefjord is listed as UNESCO world heritage.
Ice cave at the northern shore of glacial lagoon Joekulsarlon in glacier Breidamerkurjoekull in Vatnajoekull NP, Iceland.
Iceberg in the Uummannaq Fjord System. Glaciated Nuussuaq peninsula in the background. Western Greenland.
Sunrise during winter at the Ilulissat Icefjord, located in the Disko Bay in West Greenland.
Glacier Pasterze at Mount Grossglockner which is melting extremely fast due to global warming. Austria.
Boat at Ilulissat Icefjord also called kangia or Ilulissat Kangerlua at Disko Bay, Western Greenland. The icefjord is listed as UNESCO world heritage.
Sunset during winter at the Ilulissat Icefjord, located in the Disko Bay in West Greenland. The Icefjord is part of the UNESCO world heritage.