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How many glaciers in Canada's Arctic can be saved from extinction?

On Dec. 15, 2025, the Swiss-led research team modelled extinction timing for more than 200,000 glaciers worldwide and found thousands in Canada's Arctic could be saved by limiting warming, with current policies trending toward around 2.7 degrees.
Using three different models, the Swiss-led research team quantified glacier extinctions under 1.5 degrees, two degrees, 2.7 degrees and four degrees to inform impacts on communities depending on glacier meltwater, motivated by fossil fuel-driven ice loss.
Regionally, the study projects that about 30 per cent of the region's 4,500 glaciers could vanish at the world's current trajectory, with Canada's southern Arctic potentially losing 60 per cent of its 7,406 glaciers.
The study warns that glacier loss will affect freshwater supplies for communities that depend on glacier meltwater and threaten cultural or spiritual landmarks and tourism sites.
Researchers introduced the term "peak glacier extinction" to highlight losses as current policy trajectory nears 2.7 degrees, exceeding international targets of two degrees and 1.5 degrees with a warning the latter could be breached within the decade.

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