New York:Exceeding the 1.5C warming threshold could lead to irreversible damage to Earth's ice systems, accelerate sea-level rise, and threaten global water supplies, as warned by two UN-backed reports released Monday.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the reports, involving the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), emphasize the growing risks from melting glaciers, polar ice sheets, sea ice, and thawing permafrost. The State of the Cryosphere 2026 report, supported by over 50 leading cryosphere scientists, highlights that current warming levels are already unsafe for regions like the Arctic, Antarctic, and mountain glaciers.

The report cites Switzerland's loss of 20% of its glacier ice in the past five years, contributing to accelerated sea-level rise and increasing water shortages and mountain hazards. Although returning to 1.5C could slow ice loss, a safer temperature target is considered closer to 1.0C or below in the coming centuries.

The second report, Overshoot and the Cryosphere Averting Global Meltdown, drawing on the expertise of more than 80 polar and mountain scientists, proposes measures to mitigate damage from temperature overshoot. It calls for at least a 5% annual reduction in global emissions, with immediate action, and reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century.

The report stresses the importance of phasing out fossil fuels to maintain the possibility of reducing future temperatures through carbon drawdown. Limiting warming could slow sea-level rise to manageable levels for coastal communities and potentially reverse some losses in glaciers, snowpack, and sea ice. Additionally, the report warns of the risks of additional carbon release from thawing permafrost, which could further intensify global warming.