Mount Kenya, the country’s tallest peak and a popular tourist attraction, is quickly losing snow and glaciers.
Scientists warn that the mountain might be fully ice-free by 2030, a dismal projection if Kenya experiences the hottest year on record in 2024.
Lewis Glacier, one of Mount Kenya’s most prominent features, shrunk by over 90% between 1934 and 2010, according to researchers.
The once-pristine ice sheets are now reduced to dispersed pockets, resulting in a drastic change in the mountain’s look.
Charles Kibaki Muchiri, a long-time guide who has been roaming the mountain slopes for 25 years, believes the changes are apparent.
“Those colours of the white snow and the ice would make the mountain look very, very beautiful,” he said.
“Right now, it’s just rocks with small patches of ice and snow. A big, big change in the weather.”
The loss of glaciers is both an environmental and economic worry. Mount Kenya, one of Africa’s few glacier-capped peaks, attracts climbers and tourists from all over the world.
Scientists believe it will become one of the first mountains in the contemporary age to lose all of its ice.
“Some years back, there used to be ice caves here. We would go inside and take beautiful photos,” Muchiri recalled. “But now, the caves are gone. The Lewis Glacier is vanishing due to excessive melting.”
The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) declared on Thursday that 2024 was the country’s warmest year on record.
Its most recent research, “State of the Climate in Kenya 2024,” reveals an alarming trend of rising temperatures. Since 1979, Kenya’s mean maximum temperature has continuously climbed, with a notable acceleration over the last two decades.
El Niño circumstances earlier this year, which caused warmer Pacific Ocean surface temperatures and heavy flooding, are among the reasons contributing to the harsh weather.
The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), a phenomenon characterized by temperature differences between the ocean’s eastern and western parts, contributed to Kenya’s irregular climate.
As global warming worsens, fears mount that Kenya will soon lose one of its most renowned natural beauties. Muchiri finds the transition painful.
“We expect the glacier will keep getting smaller, and maybe in the future, it will disappear completely.”
The impact goes beyond looks. The melting of glaciers might disturb local ecosystems, endanger water sources, and change the tourism sector.
Mount Kenya’s glaciers are an important supply of fresh water for local populations, and their demise could spark a larger environmental crisis.
Experts warn of worsening droughts, unpredictable rainfall, and increased instances of extreme weather.The rapid changes on Mount Kenya serve as a visible testament to the accelerating climate crisis.
