Global Snow- and Ice-Related Disaster Risk: A Review

Abstract

Since the 1970s, the ongoing retreat of the global cryosphere has been affecting human societies and causing a series of snow-and ice-related disasters (SIRDs). Based on existing research results, this paper focuses on searching for the formation mechanism of SIRDs, classifies their types and spatiotemporal scales, and reveals the integrated impacts of the SIRD and its future situation on global high-hazard areas. On land, SIRDs mainly occur in the high mountainous areas of middle-low latitude and the permafrost regions of high latitude, in the behaviors of increasing frequency of glacier/snow/glacier lake outburst flood-related disasters and an expanding range of freeze-thaw disasters. The recorded frost events show a decreasing trend but the hail hazard distributions are greatly heterogenous. Overall, the frequency of rain-on-snow events is projected to increase on land in the future. In the ocean, SIRDs are mainly distributed in the Arctic coastal areas and global low-lying islands or areas, with great potential risk. Among them, coastal freeze-thaw, icebergs, and sea-level rise and its impacts are likely or expected to continue increasing in the next few decades.

Remote Sensing and Modeling of the Cryosphere in High Mountain Asia: A Multidisciplinary Review

“…The changing cryosphere in HMA has led to instability of paraglacial, glacial and periglacial circumstances resulting in various hazards [163], involving snow/ice/rock/debris avalanches, glacier detachments or ice collapse, glacier surges, snowstorms, landslides, debris/ice flows, floods generated by glacial lake outbursts, thermokarst development, and instability and subsidence of building foundations due to degradation of permafrost [164].…”

Opportunities and threats of cryosphere change to the achievement of UN 2030 SDGs

“…In particular, cryosphere disasters affect the lives, livelihood, and property of indigenous peoples in the Arctic and local peoples in HMAs at middle-low latitudes (Haeberli and Whiteman 2021;Wang et al 2022). In February 2012, Eurasia experienced extreme cold and heavy snow, and the extreme weather killed more than 300 people.…”

“…In February 2012, Eurasia experienced extreme cold and heavy snow, and the extreme weather killed more than 300 people. On February 7, 2021, a catastrophically large glacial and rock avalanche caused widespread damage and severely damaging two hydropower projects, over 200 people were killed or are missing in the Chamoli region of Uttarakhand, India (Wang et al 2022). Past glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) disasters have directly caused at least seven deaths in Iceland, 393 deaths in the European Alps, 5745 deaths in South America, and 6300 deaths in Central Asia (Carrivick and Tweed 2016).…”

“…The cryosphere provides great opportunities and services to human society in terms of habitat, freshwater, renewable energy, tourism, culture, and transportation for the human system; however, widespread cryosphere-related events are endangering human well-being and health in mid-to-high latitude and high mountain regions (Wang et al 2022). Culture, land transportation, and infrastructure are negatively affected by cryosphere changes, while alpine water conservancy, hydropower, and irrigation water would benefit from cryosphere changes in the current stage.…”

The Impact of Climate Change on Glacial Lake Outburst Floods

“…In the same period, precipitation increased at a rate of 4.1 mm/10a [2]. As a result of global warming, glacial lakes are increasing in number and size [3,4], and the risk of glacier-related hazards in high mountain regions has increased [5][6][7][8][9]. Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are glacierrelated hazards.…”