📋 Tender Overview
Research reveals the loss of 58% of the worlds second largest tropical glacier in 40 years and lays the foundation for a new national geoparkThe National Institute for Research in Glaciers and Mountain Ecosystems (INAIGEM), an entity attached to the Ministry of the Environment, today presented the results of 7 years of research on the Quelccaya glacier under the title, Quelccaya: A Natural Laboratory for Science and Humanity. The research carried out and compiled in a book represents an editorial milestone and the most complete scientific contribution on the second largest tropical glacier in the world.
There are seven years of direct research and it continues to be developed by the INAIGEM technical team. This in situ information is complemented by the analysis of more than 70 scientific publications produced by various national and international institutions over five decades.
During the official presentation, Dr. Hernando Tavera, executive president of INAIGEM, highlighted the strategic value of the research: Quelccaya is not just ice; it is climate history, Andean culture, water security and unique biodiversity. As the only institution of the Peruvian State dedicated specifically to research on glaciers and mountain ecosystems, at INAIGEM we have the duty to make this rigorous science available to society. Documenting the transformation of this glacier is an urgency for the country. and a fundamental tool for decision-making in the face of climate change.
Among the most notable findings, satellite images show that the glacier has lost 58% of its surface in the last 40 years, shrinking from 100 to 42 km2. The rate of retreat has accelerated by 50% in the last decade, making it one of the most obvious indicators of climate change in the tropical Andes.
Likewise, the research presents for the first time an in situ estimate of the volume of water stored in the cap: 2,430 million cubic meters, a reserve that is equivalent to one hundred years of water consumption in the city of Cusco. This fresh water is vital, as it feeds the Vilcanota-Urubamba and Inambari basins, sustaining life in the departments of Cusco and Puno.
Beyond glacial dynamics, the document highlights the biological value of the environment, which is home to 56 plant species and 76 bird species. Among them, the glacial finch stands out, recognized today as the only bird species in the world with scientific evidence of nesting in tropical glaciers. In addition, it highlights the role of interconnected ecosystems, such as wetlands, which act as large carbon reserves and natural water regulation infrastructure.
Scientific research, captured in a written work, recognizes Quelccaya as an ancient spiritual Apu for the Quechua communities of Phinaya, Chimboya and Quelccaya, who keep alive ancestral practices such as ayni, minka and vicuna chaku in their skirts.
With the delivery of this first edition of this scientific work, INAIGEM consolidates the proposal of the Quelccaya Scientific Observatory, a continuous monitoring platform (glaciological, hydrological, ecological and sociocultural). Furthermore, this robust scientific evidence will serve as fundamental support to support Law No. 32131, which declares the implementation of the Quelccaya Glacier Geopark of national interest, a territorial governance model that will articulate conservation, research, education and sustainable tourism.
INAIGEM Science and passion for glaciers and mountain ecosystems.
