Puncak Jaya Glacier Now Only 2 Percent Remaining, No Longer Eternal

The glacier on Puncak Jaya, Papua, has continued to shrink dramatically, with Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reporting that its ice cover now measures just 0.09 square kilometres, or roughly 2 percent of the 4.3 square kilometres recorded in 1988. BMKG stated that Indonesia may soon lose its eternal ice forever, with projections suggesting it could disappear completely by the end of 2026 or early 2027. The ice thickness has also declined sharply, from 32 metres in 2010 to just 4 metres in 2023, with recent monitoring indicating the ice at one observation point has melted entirely. Since 2006, the thinning rate has been estimated at 2 to 2.5 metres per year. BMKG attributed the melting to a combination of global climate change and El Niño phenomena, which have brought hotter temperatures and drier conditions to Indonesia. Professor Thomas Djamaluddin, an astronomy researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), noted that rising global temperatures make it impossible for the ice to reform. The loss of the glacier carries cultural significance for indigenous Papuan communities, who regard the mountain as a spiritual symbol. BMKG also warned that the melting ice could disrupt local water balance, affecting ecosystems, wildlife habitats, and community farmland. While the local impact is gradual, the agency urged public action to slow climate change through measures such as using public transport, conserving energy and water, planting trees, recycling waste, and choosing environmentally friendly products.