The Ice Memory Foundation has officially inaugurated the world’s first Ice Memory Sanctuary on the frozen High Plateau of Antarctica, securing irreplaceable climate records from endangered mountain glaciers for future generations.
The sanctuary, unveiled on 14 January at Concordia Station, marks the culmination of an unprecedented international scientific mission to transport ice cores from glaciers in France and Switzerland to one of the coldest, most stable environments on Earth.
The ice cores—extracted from Col du Dôme on Mont Blanc and Grand Combin in Switzerland between 2016 and 2023—are now stored in a cave carved into Antarctic snow, where a natural temperature of –50°C ensures long-term preservation without energy consumption or mechanical refrigeration.
A Climate Archive for the Centuries Ahead
Concordia Station, jointly operated by the Italian National Antarctic Research Program and the French Polar Institute, will preserve the cores for centuries. Scientists of the future will be able to analyse these samples long after many of today’s glaciers—especially in Europe—have disappeared due to rising global temperatures.
“Glaciers are not just ice,” said Prince Albert II of Monaco, Honorary President of the Ice Memory Foundation. “They are pillars of the Earth system and archives of our planet’s climate memory. Safeguarding this memory is a shared responsibility for humanity.”
The sanctuary was approved by the Antarctic Treaty System in 2024 and funded by the Prince Albert II Foundation.
Boost for Global Cryosphere Science
The project provides a major boost to the UN International Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (2025–2034), supported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The cryosphere—Earth’s frozen regions—is one of WMO’s top priorities, and glaciers are central to climate regulation, freshwater supply, ecosystems and human security.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, who participated remotely in the ceremony, emphasized the sanctuary’s global significance.
“The Ice Memory Sanctuary is more than a scientific milestone,” Saulo said. “By preserving glacier ice, we extend climate records far beyond instrumental observations and strengthen the foundations of global climate monitoring. This knowledge must remain available to future generations.”
Glaciers Melting at Alarming Speed
According to WMO, glaciers have lost more than 9,000 billion tonnes of ice since 1975—equivalent to an ice block the size of Germany, 25 metres thick. Each year, 273 billion tonnes of ice disappear, roughly equal to 30 years of global human water consumption.
This accelerating loss disrupts river systems, food production and ecosystems, threatens cultural heritage, and increases risks to human security.
“Even under optimistic climate scenarios, nearly half of the world’s glaciers could vanish by the end of the century,” Saulo warned. “When that ice melts, the climate records stored within it are lost forever—unless we act to preserve them.”
Call for Action Beyond Observation
Saulo stressed that monitoring alone is not enough. Preservation, cooperation and investment are essential. She highlighted two priorities:
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Strengthening links between science and decision-making
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Investing in open, trusted climate and cryosphere observation systems
A Model of Global Scientific Cooperation
The ice cores were transported in October aboard the Italian research icebreaker RV Laura Bassi, travelling from Trieste across the Atlantic to Christchurch, New Zealand, before reaching Antarctica in December. From the Mario Zucchelli Station, they were flown to Concordia, where they now rest in permanent cold.
The Ice Memory Sanctuary stands as a powerful symbol of international collaboration—and a stark reminder that while glaciers may vanish, humanity still has a chance to preserve their memory.