Indonesia's Eternal Ice on Puncak Jaya Predicted to Vanish by End of 2026

The BMKG has stated that the perennial ice on Puncak Jaya, Papua, continues to melt year after year. The agency estimates that this eternal ice will be depleted by the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027.

“It will not be long before Indonesia may lose its eternal ice forever. The ice in Puncak Jaya, Papua, continues to shrink annually. According to BMKG climatology experts, this eternal ice, which has endured for thousands of years, is expected to disappear completely by the end of 2026 or early 2027,” BMKG wrote on its official Instagram account on Friday (3/7/2026).

In 1988, according to the BMKG, the tropical glaciers in Jayawijaya spanned 4.3 square kilometres. By September 2025, the area had shrunk to just 0.09 square kilometres.

The BMKG noted that the thickness of the ice is also continuously decreasing. In 2010, the ice thickness reached 32 metres. By 2016, the rate of thinning reached 2.5 metres per year.

“In 2023, monitoring piles showed that only 4 metres of ice thickness remained,” stated the BMKG.

Recent monitoring indicates that the ice has melted significantly. The BMKG attributed the disappearance of the eternal ice in Puncak Jaya to a combination of global climate change and El Niño, which has caused rising temperatures and drier weather in Indonesia.

“Many researchers estimate that the eternal ice in Papua has only months left before it truly vanishes,” wrote the BMKG.

The BMKG noted that Puncak Jaya has long served as a cultural and spiritual symbol for the Papuan people. The loss of the eternal ice is described as a profound loss of the ancestral heritage of the Papuan community.

“The impact is also very significant for the environment. Mountain ice maintains the water balance in Papua. If it melts, ecosystems, wildlife habitats, and community agricultural lands could also be affected,” said the BMKG.

The BMKG stated that climate change is clearly visible in Puncak Jaya. The agency has called upon all parties to work together to protect nature by planting trees, recycling waste, using public transport, conserving water, and using eco-friendly products to protect the Earth.

“It is hard to believe, but we may be the last generation that still has the chance to see eternal ice in Indonesia,” concluded the BMKG.