Events

Upcoming Events

Sensing to Impact: Environmental Measurement and Monitoring Research Symposium

Apr 17 • University of Waterloo • Research Symposium

Sensing to Impact is a one-day research symposium connecting University of Waterloo researchers with community partners to strenghten local enviromental measurment and monitoring. The event showcases leading research, real-world applications, and shared challenges...

ASITA 2026: Advances in Stable Isotope Techniques and Applications (ASITA) Conference

Jun 7-10 • University of Saskatchewan • Informal Forum

The focus on the conference continues to be on methodological advancements, technical challenges, and novel applications of stable isotopes. ASITA has a strong reputation as an informal forum for discussing and solving technical challenges, and we...

Event Archive

World Day for Glaciers and World Water Day 2026

Mar 18 - 19 • UNESCO Headquarters, Paris • Series of Celebrations

UNESCO, WMO and hundreds from the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation - 2025 (IYGP) community celebrated the World Day for Glaciers and World Water Day at UNESCO's Headquarters, closing the IYGP and launching the new Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (DACS) with dedicated...

Day One of Celebrations: Main Event

Mar 18 • UNESCO Headquarters, Paris

The first day of sessions included high level opening addresses from The Director-General of UNESCO and Secretary-General of WMO and several ambassadors of nations that have shown a particular interest in glaciers and the cryosphere, including Tajikistan, France, the United Kingdom, China, Italy, Switzerland and Senegal.

• Closing of the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation 2025 (IYGP): Featuring a keynote by Co-Chairs of the Advisory Board of the IYGP2025, Ms Carolina Adler and Mr John Pomeroy

• Handover Ceremony from the Year to the Decade: Featuring a keynote by Mr John Pomeroy, Chair of the Ad Hoc Management Committee of the Decade of Action for Cyrospheric Sciences 2025-2034

• Cryosphere loss and its consequences for Water Resources: Featuring UNESCO Chair in Mountain Cryosphere and Water, Mr Dhiraj Pradhananga and six other panelists

Day Two of Celebrations: Side Events

Mar 19 • UNESCO Headquarters, Paris • Remote Options • Presentation Panels

The second day of sessions included 24 side events on water, society and the cryosphere including an examination of integrated observation and prediction systems, snowpack and permafrost decline, glacier retreat, icesheet collapse and implications for sea levels, hydrology and both local and downstream communities.

Science to Societies: UNESCO Chair in Mountain Water Sustainability / CliC Side Event

The accelerating loss of the cryosphere is reshaping societies worldwide. Impacts ranging from glacier recession and freshwater shifts to sea-level rise, permafrost thawing, and sea ice diminishment have cascading ecological and economic consequences. While science gaps remain that need...

Integrated Observation and Prediction Systems for the Cryosphere: Global Water Futures Observatories / INARCH Side Event

This event showed the value of cold regions observations in underpinning scientific development that leads to more realistic and successful cryospheric models and prediction systems. It aimed to help define approaches to two of the DACS' Overarching Challenges - OC1, Global Cryosphere Monitoring and...

USask The Great Thaw Exhibition at UNESCO: A special on-site artistic exhibition based on the USask/UNESCO book, The Great Thaw

GWFO Operations Team Workshop: An opportunity to share updates and plans, to work towards populating and improving our data catalogue and data management system

Jan 14 & 16 • Remote via Zoom • Workshop

This workshop brought together the GWFO Operations Team which includes all facility leads, managers, technicians, data management personnel, GWFO secretariat, and the Strategic Management Committee. It provided an opportunity to share updates and plans, to work towards...

Mountains and glaciers: Water towers, The 2025 UN World Water Development Report

Sept 17 - Oct 15 • Remote • Online Seminar Series

This online seminar series explore the vital role of mountain waters—including alpine glaciers—in supporting sustainable development, both in mountain regions and for the downstream communities that rely on them...

Cooperation and participation for preserving mountains and glaciers: Focus on Europe and North America

Side-Events: World Day for Glaciers and World Water Day 2025

Chronicles of Cryospheric Loss: Weaving Science, Art, and Voices from the Ice

Mar 20 • UNESCO Headquarters, Paris • Recording Available • Presentation Panels

Organized by: John Pomeroy, Laurent Fouinat (GRID-Arendal), Ignacio Palomo, Fabiano Ventura, Viktor Novikov (Zoï environment network). The ideas and opinions expressed in this webinar are those of the speakers, they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization.

The world's changing cryosphere

Mar 21 • UNESCO Headquarters, Paris • Recording Available • Presentation Panels

Organized by: IYGP Task Force 3 (James McPhee), International Network for Alpine Research Catchment Hydrology (INARCH) (Ignacio López Moreno), and University of Birmingham (Nazimul Islam). Watch Recording

Research and Monitoring in the Mountain Cryosphere: Advancements, challenges, and priorities in the mountain cryosphere

Jan 21 • Recording Available • Virtual Event

In coordination with the launch of the UN International Year of Glaciers' Preservation 2025 and hosted by the IYGP Task Force 3, this event highlighted why cryospheric research and monitoring are essential. Experts discussed advancements, challenges, and priorities in the mountain cryosphere, emphasizing how the IYGP and the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences can strengthen global capacity to address these critical activities in a changing climate.

GWFO Workshop on Observations and Data

Oct 23 & 24 • Remote via Zoom • Workshop

This workshop brought together the GWFO facility leads, managers, and staff over Zoom to better understand GWFO's observation and data systems, and focused on what data GWFO is collecting, QA/QC systems in place, and data management and storage issues at the various GWFO partner institutions. The workshop explored opportunities for central and distributed data management, storage, and quality assurance and control of GWFO data. As a path forward, GWFO aim's to produce an inventory of the measurements and data from GWFO facilities to increase efficiency in data management procedures and systems.