Misleading Views of the East African Glaciers

Although the continuous melting of glaciers is described to have widespread effects, and has thus become symbolic of a changing climate, the extent to which East African glaciers in particular contribute to and affect their surroundings is in fact minimal. This is well described in Mölg's et al. (2013) paper which critiques the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) article ''Africa without ice and snow'', which contains a significant number of flaws, misleading its readers into thinking that East African glaciers play a far greater role in their surroundings. The article starts off by describing glaciers as a main source of freshwater and discusses the associated disruptions to sectors including agriculture, industry, and domestic supplies as they recede, suggesting that in the near future, these massifs will cause serious hydrological disruptions in the region.

First of all, it has been emphasized by scientific literature that these glaciers are far too small to be taken as water reservoirs. This has been proved by Mölg's (2008) findings stating that ''if one was to melt all the glacier volume on Kilimanjaro at once, and distribute the melted water over the entire mountain, the water provided would only amount to 13 l per square-meter (13 mm precipitation)'', which also applies to Mt Kenya and Ruwenzori. And although its glacial melt water supports some local populations on high elevations, it has been proved that it is of negligible importance. It is in fact the rain forests on the sides of its peaks and rainfall that support the East African water system the most.

Another point Mölg's et al. (2013) paper raises is issues with terminology, specifically the incorrect distinction between ice and snow which is often interchanged, misleading its readers right from the start with its title, suggesting that both ice and snow will disappear. And although East African glaciers are likely to vanish within the next few decades, snow will continue to fall on its summits during precipitation events. The lack of distinction between these two terms also results in wrongful visualisations of glacial recession, a mistake also repeated in satellite photos, such as on the NASA Earth Observatory website.

Not only were problems in terminology mentioned, but the overall wording and delivery of information was critiqued, especially the use of hyperbolic phrases such as ''receding at an unprecedented pace'', despite the fact that its retreat has been steady over the recorded period, as shown below.

Changes in Glacier Surface Area over time

The UNEP report also lacks an appreciation of East African glaciers' diversity which is key in understanding the climatic drivers of their recession, most importantly their location to the mean 0°C altitude which significantly affects their properties. There is also a lack of understanding of the causes of their shrinkage. The authors talk about sublimation as the dominant ice loss mechanism, which although in play for some of the highest parts of Kilimanjaro, is not as detrimental, since on Mt Kenya and Ruwenzori melting is the main factor driving this change (Nicholson et al., 2012). Although the UNEP paper has aimed to simplify this subject area for its readers, this differentiation is crucial and cannot be ignored when talking about the glaciers’ relationship to local and global climate.

This is not to downplay anthropogenic disturbances, such as those associated with tourism, which do have consequences, as mentioned in one of my previous blog posts. Some also suggest deforestation as having a major impact on glacial recession in East Africa, particularly on Mt Kenya. Nonetheless, it is important to be specific and understand how much change glacial recession in East Africa will actually bring.

The UNEP report goes to show that there is a need for a more informed view on the topic, and, potentially, for an interdisciplinary study, which would involve more in depth communication between researchers. The problem of over-simplifying and inaccurate terminology also made me think of how important it is to be careful with terms and wording one uses so as not to shift perceptions on the matter, as well as check sources to accurately inform the public. 

Mölg's et al. (2013) paper highlights the gaps in knowledge on the subject, the uncertainty in the role of glaciers in the hydrological cycle of East Africa, and how their loss will impact precipitation patterns, especially the rainfall patterns at the forest level, which is still debated. The need for continued research is crucial as many papers, such as the UNEP report, simplify the nuances of the problems associated with glacial recession, and many of the journals examining East African glaciers in depth are outdated: e.g. Young 1980.