Global Average Glacier Mass Loss
Last updated: February 10, 2026
267 Gt
Gt/year
The world's glaciers lose approximately 267 gigatonnes of ice per year, contributing about 21% of observed sea level rise. The rate has accelerated 57% since the 2000s. At current rates, glaciers could lose 40% of their mass by 2100.
Historical Trend
Source: WGMS
Why This Average Exists
Glacier monitoring is vital as glaciers provide fresh water to 2 billion people, regulate river flows, and their loss is an unambiguous indicator of global warming.
Factors That Affect Global Average Glacier Mass Loss
- Global temperature rise
- Precipitation patterns
- Ocean warming
- Altitude
- Latitude
- Local geography
Frequently Asked Questions
Methodology & Data Sources
The data presented on this page is compiled from publicly available datasets published by international organizations including the World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations, NASA, and national statistical agencies.
Global averages are calculated using population-weighted or arithmetic means depending on the metric. Country-level data reflects the most recent available figures, typically from 2024–2024. Where gaps exist, the latest available data point is used.
All figures are subject to revision as source organizations update their datasets. For the most authoritative data, we encourage consulting the original sources linked in the table above.
Further Reading
- Global Average Temperature— 15.0°C °C
- Global Average Sea Level Rise— 3.7 mm/yr mm/year
- Global Average Ocean Temperature— 17.1°C °C
- Global Average Rainfall— 990 mm mm/year
- Global Average Carbon Footprint— 4.7 tonnes tonnes CO₂/year
- Global Average CO₂ Emissions Per Capita— 4.7 tonnes tonnes/year
- Global Average Water Consumption— 137 L/day liters/day
- Global Average Wind Speed— 3.3 m/s m/s