Melting glaciers

HIMALAYA: The Gangotri glacier, source of the Ganges river, is in rapid retreat. Water specialists say that 360 million people depend on it Photograph: George F Mobley/Getty

ALASKA: The US Geological Survey found that in Alaska 99% or higher of glaciers are 'retreating or stagnating' Photograph: Timothy G Laman/Getty

SWITZERLAND: The Aletsch glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps. A survey last year reported that, since the 1850s, glaciers in the region had declined by 35% in 1970 and by 50% in 2000. Photograph: Johannes Simon/Getty

SWITZERLAND: Another view of the Aletsch glacier. The UN Environment Programme report found that European glaciers retreated by a further 5-10% in the hot year of 2003 alone Photograph: Laurent Gillieron/EPA

NEW ZEALAND: glaciers have roughly halved in size in the past century Photograph: George Silk/Getty

PAKISTAN: Ice melts on the Hopar glacier. In Pakistan 50% of agricultural land is irrigated by the Indus, which the WWF highlighted last year as one of the world's 10 big at-risk rivers because retreating glaciers provide 70-80% of its flow Photograph: Paula Bronstein/Getty

PAKISTAN, KHUNJERAB PASS: Himalayan glaciers feed the Yangtse, Mekong, Yellow, Indus and Ganges rivers. A billion people may be dependent on them Photograph: Olivier Matthys/EPA

PATAGONIA: The UNEP reports 'considerable' shrinking of medium and small glaciers in central Chile and Argentina, accompanied by 'drastic retreat' of glaciers further south in Patagonia Photograph: Daniel Garcia/AFP