Venezuela was once home to six glaciers covering 1,000 square kilometers. However, over time these glaciers have shrunk and no longer qualify as glaciers. The last remaining glacier, Humboldt Glacier, has now diminished to the point where it is no longer classified as a glacier. This puts Venezuela at the forefront of countries experiencing complete glacier melt in modern times.
Research conducted over the past few decades shows a dramatic decline in glacier coverage in Venezuela, with a 98% decrease from 1953 to 2019. The rate of ice loss has accelerated since 1998, with a peak of about 17% per year. La Corona, once a 4.5 square kilometer glacier, has now shrunk to less than 0.02 square kilometers.
In an attempt to protect the Humboldt Glacier, the Venezuelan government covered it with geotextile in December of last year. However, this plan was unsuccessful and raised concerns among conservationists about the potential pollution caused by the fabric decomposing into microplastics. Despite efforts to protect the remaining ice, the future of Venezuela’s glaciers remains uncertain.
