This expedition, a central highlight of the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Cryosphere, Climate, and Water Resources”, held on Dushanbe on 13 October 2025, demonstrates the power of sustained international collaboration in addressing climate change.
Tajikistan, with 93% of its territory covered by mountains, is highly vulnerable to floods, landslides, and avalanches intensified by a warming climate. Switzerland and Tajikistan share not only breathtaking landscapes of mountains, glaciers, and lakes, but also common challenges such as melting glaciers and mountain hazards — as recently seen in Switzerland’s Blatten glacier collapse. These parallels make cooperation between the two countries both natural and essential.
Switzerland has been a long-standing partner of Tajikistan in glacier research and cryosphere science for many years. Swiss-supported initiatives — from early glacier surveys and field expeditions to advanced monitoring and capacity building — have laid the groundwork for this achievement.
Tajikistan continues to champion global action on water and glacier preservation. Together with France, Tajikistan also co-initiated the UN Decade of Action for Cryosphere Sciences (2025–2034), mobilizing international efforts to safeguard glaciers and ensure water security for future generations.
The ice core, extracted by scientists from Tajikistan, Switzerland, France, Japan, Russia, and the USA, was carried out by the Swiss Polar Institute and the Ice Memory Foundation. It contains climate records spanning hundreds to thousands of years and will be preserved in the Ice Memory global cryoarchive in Antarctica and Japan — ensuring that these invaluable climate archives remain accessible for future generations of researchers.
The expedition involved the Glacier Research Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, the University of Fribourg, University of Zurich, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ohio State University, and Nagoya and Hokkaido Universities.
The conference brought together scientists, policymakers, and young researchers to discuss:
- The impact of cryosphere degradation on water security;
- Risks from glacial lake outbursts, avalanches, and landslides;
- Innovative monitoring, early warning systems, and data-sharing approaches.
The ice core expedition exemplifies how decades of sustained partnership, scientific curiosity, and international cooperation can protect the world’s most fragile ecosystems. Switzerland and Tajikistan remain committed to advancing glacier science, safeguarding water resources, and addressing the urgent challenges of climate change together.
