Unpleasant news comes from the Jayawijaya Mountains. The eternal snow that is the pride of the Indonesian people, especially Papua, in the sharp rock clusters is predicted to disappear.
The eternal snow of the Cartensz Pyramid or glacier in the Jayawijaya Mountains is the only tropical glacier in Indonesia.
According to data summarized by this media, the eternal snow was formed because the height of the peak causes the air temperature at the peak to be much colder, even in the dry season.
However, its existence in the Jayawijaya mountains seems like it can no longer be saved, the eternal snow on the peak of the mountain is threatened with extinction in the next few years.
Forecaster from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Mozes Kilangin Timika Marsareza Meteorology Station, explained that the eternal snow in Papua is experiencing accelerated melting due to climate change, rain, heat from rocks, and global warming.
The area of ​​snow ice cover on Puncak Jaya has shrunk by 98% from 19.3 square kilometers in 1850 to 0.34 square kilometers in 2020.
The man who is familiarly called Reza said, based on the results of research by the BMKG Center, the reduction in ice or snow on the peaks of the Jayawijaya mountains has been very drastic in the last few years.
This condition suddenly became a sign that the eternal snow in Papua would not last long and would likely only be a memory.
“So from the research from 2022 compared to 2024, it has decreased by half,” said Reza when met in his office.
Reza said, based on BMKG data, in 2022 the area of ​​ice chunks in the Jayawijaya mountains was 0.23 square kilometers.
However, in 2024 it decreased drastically to 0.11 to 0.16 square kilometers with the ice thickness remaining only 4 meters.
“So there is a decrease of half the area from 2 years ago. If the melting of the ice above, besides the temperature, there is also a factor from the rocks. Well, if from these rocks, if they are exposed to heat, they also emit heat from the rocks. Also, frequent rain, which is usually snow, becomes water, which also accelerates,” he said.
“Well, from yesterday’s research, it is predicted that in 2026 the ice at the peak will start to run out, just a memory like that. Two more years, because if you look at it from 2022 to 2024 the decline has been half,” he added.
BMKG also noted that in 2010 the eternal snow had an ice thickness of 32 meters.
Despite climate change in the world, the ice sheet continues to shrink. By 2015, the decline in thickness had reached about one meter per year.
The condition worsened in 2015-2016 when Indonesia was hit by the El Nino phenomenon where surface temperatures became warmer.
As a result, the landscape in Puncakjaya is melting up to 5 meters per year. The melting of the eternal snow does not stop.
In 2015-2022, BMKG recorded the thickness of the ice melting 2.5 meters per year. It is estimated that the remaining ice thickness in December 2022 will only be 6 meters.
Meanwhile, in addition to eternal snow, there are several ecosystems around the Jayawijaya mountains that are also threatened with extinction due to climate change. This was also confirmed by the Head of the Lorentz National Park Office Manuel Mirino.
Manuel said that this would certainly have an impact on the habitat and surrounding ecosystem due to climate change.
Although he cannot yet mention the number of habitats and ecosystems that are threatened with extinction, according to Manuel, climate change has a significant impact.
“It certainly affects the habitat and ecosystem. However, until now we have not seen it scientifically with perhaps research, but perhaps visually what we can convey is related to the impact on the ecosystem of migratory birds that have been there, finally starting to decrease,” Manuel said when confirmed by telephone Monday afternoon.
Manuel said, as one of the efforts that can be made to maintain the sustainability of the ecosystem in the conservation area, his party has carried out comprehensive habitat restoration and selection.
