International Mountain Day—“Glaciers Matter for Water, Food and Livelihoods in Mountains and Beyond”, 11 December 2025

International Mountain Day highlights the essential role of glaciers in the Earth system and the importance of protecting these rapidly changing environments. Glaciers help regulate climate patterns, store vast quantities of freshwater, and sustain river systems that support agriculture, ecosystems, and energy production. For many vulnerable mountain communities, seasonal meltwater is a crucial source of water throughout the year.

Glaciers are also among the most responsive indicators of climate change. Rising global temperatures are driving widespread ice loss, which is altering the timing and quantity of water flow in rivers, affecting downstream ecosystems, and reducing long-term water availability. Glacier retreat can also increase the likelihood of hazards such as glacier lake outburst floods, landslides, and destabilisation of surrounding terrain. These impacts directly influence food security, clean water supply, and the safety of communities living in high-altitude and downstream areas.

To reflect this global focus, we invite you to explore a curated collection of articles and Special Issues from MDPI journals across the Environmental and Sciences subject. This collection highlights research on glacier change, hydrology, mountain hazards, and adaptation strategies that can support communities and ecosystems facing a warming climate.

By deepening scientific understanding and fostering collaboration across disciplines, we can contribute to global efforts to protect glacier environments and the people who depend on them.

“Glacier Extraction from Cloudy Satellite Images Using a Multi-Task Generative Adversarial Network Leveraging Transformer-Based Backbones”
by Yuran Cui, Kun Jia, Haishuo Wei, Guofeng Tao, Fengcheng Ji, Jie Li, Shijiao Qiao, Linlin Zhao, Zihang Jiang, Xinyi Gao et al.
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(21), 3570; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17213570

“Contemporary Tendencies in Snow Cover, Winter Precipitation, and Winter Air Temperatures in the Mountain Regions of Bulgaria”
by Dimitar Nikolov and Cvetan Dimitrov
Climate 2025, 13(10), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli13100212

“Ice Avalanche-Triggered Glacier Lake Outburst Flood: Hazard Assessment at Jiongpuco, Southeastern Tibet”
by Shuwu Li, Changhu Li, Zhengzheng Li, Lei Li and Wei Wang
Water 2025, 17(14), 2102; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17142102

“The Status, Applications, and Modifications of the Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM): A Comprehensive Review”
by Ninad Bhagwat, Rohitashw Kumar, Mahrukh Qureshi, Raja M. Nagisetty and Xiaobing Zhou
Hydrology 2025, 12(6), 156; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12060156

“Glacier and Snow Cover Dynamics and Their Affecting Factors on the Pamir Plateau Section of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor”
by Yonglong Han, Yonghui Wang, Xiaofei Ma and Yanjun Shang
Land 2025, 14(4), 880; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040880

“Neural Network Downscaling to Obtain Local Precipitation Scenarios in the Italian Alps: A Case Study”
by Cristina Iacomino and Antonello Pasini
Climate 2024, 12(9), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12090147

“Mass Balance of Maritime Glaciers in the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau during Recent Decades”
by Xiaowei Lyu, Yong Zhang, Huanhuan Wang and Xin Wang
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 7118; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167118

“Combining “Deep Learning” and Physically Constrained Neural Networks to Derive Complex Glaciological Change Processes from Modern High-Resolution Satellite Imagery: Application of the GEOCLASS-Image System to Create VarioCNN for Glacier Surges”
by Ute C. Herzfeld, Lawrence J. Hessburg, Thomas M. Trantow and Adam N. Hayes
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(11), 1854; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16111854

“Late Cretaceous Tectono-Metamorphic Events in the Skyros Upper Metamorphic Unit (Olympus Mountain), Aegean Sea, Greece”
by Dimitra Boundi, Dimitrios Papanikolaou, Giulia Bosio and Chiara Montemagni
Geosciences 2024, 14(3), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences14030069

“Steel Baffles as a Rockfall Protection Measure for Mountainous Urban Settings”
by Jude Shalitha Perera and Nelson Lam
Geosciences 2023, 13(3), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences13030093

“Snow and Glacier Hydrology in Changing Climate and Urbanisation” Guest Editor: Dr. Mohd Soheb Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 January 2026	“The Third Pole in Peril: Climate Change, Water Security, and Sustainable Futures in the Hindu Kush Himalaya” Guest Editor: Dr. Katie Conlon Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026
“Glacier Mass Balance and Variability” Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Yuande Yang Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026	“Climate Change Scenarios and Impacts for the Mountain Regions at Middle Latitudes” Guest Editors: Dr. Teodoro Georgiadis, Dr. Massimiliano Fazzini and Dr. Letizia Cremonini Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026