From discussions to concrete action

Last Friday and Saturday was the first World Glacier Day and World Water Day. On these two days, an important event took place at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The focus was on the increasing threat of glacier melt and its impact on water security, communities and ecosystems. With glaciers melting at record rates, the event highlighted the importance of glaciers as the “water towers of the world” for the billions of people who depend on them.

Leading politicians, scientists, civil society representatives and stakeholders have come together to discuss the importance of glaciers for global water systems, their impact on ecosystems, sea levels and society, and to promote measures to protect water supplies and glaciers for future generations.

Thomas Spiegelberg, President of the Cover Project Foundation, represented the foundation during these two days in Paris. For him, it was two interesting days with many forums in which it was repeatedly expressed that there was no more time for discussion, but that action and implementation were needed. Scientists have clearly demanded that research should be intensified and at the same time a language must be found that translates the results and the knowledge gained into a simple and understandable way, otherwise it will not reach the people and regions affected. This is where visual language comes into play, as it is one of the many ways of making scientific content accessible and comprehensible.

The Cover Project Foundation's contribution to the discussion on the film «The Ice Builder’s and Suryanarayanan» on Friday, March 21, was aimed precisely in this direction. They were able to show the numerous participants that the University of Ladakh with Sonam Wanchuk and Suryanarayanan Balasubramanian and the Academia Engadina with Felix Keller and the Cover Project Foundation have been actively working together for ten years to find solutions and implement them on an ongoing basis. Examples of this include microplastic-free fleece for covering glaciers and the support and development of a low-energy snow rope system for making snow on glaciers using glacier dew or side water.

During these two days, it once again became clear how important it is that we all - scientists, foundations and society - pull together to find sustainable solutions. It is not enough to just talk - we have to take action, and that is exactly what we are doing.

The exhibition ,,Water''has been running at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich since 29.11.24. If you haven't had the opportunity to visit it yet, you have until 06.04.25. 

On 16.01.25, in addition to the exhibition, there will be a discussion on the topic: “How can we shape a sustainable water future?”. How can water cycles be strengthened, glaciers and drinking water reserves preserved and sanitation systems designed in an alternative way? On a tour of the exhibition, Nora Wüthrich, curator, will talk to Martina Voser, landscape architect, Felix Keller, glaciologist, and Michel Riechmann, environmental engineer at Eawag and founding member of VaLoo, about the potential of their projects and how a sustainable water future could be shaped from various perspectives.

When: Thursday, January 16, 18:30 - 19:30

Where: Pfingstweidstrasse 96, 8005 Zurich

Costs: Included in the admission price

Free Places: 18

Here you can register for the discussion. We would be happy to see you there.