This year, Arctic Basecamp is turning our focus to one of the most visible and urgent indicators of global climate change: glaciers. We are proud to support the United Nations International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP), and you can find new related content and resources on the Global Climate Risks Platform highlighting the global risks linked to glacier melt and polar change.
As part of this work, we joined forces with Climate Basecamp on Performing Hope for the Glaciers—a powerful musical performance by Yo-Yo Ma in the Swiss Alps, calling for global action through the universal language of music.
This also marked our most impactful year yet at Davos. Through live science communication, powerful collaborations, and global media reach, Arctic Basecamp continued to make the climate emergency impossible to ignore.
Read on for highlights from Q1—including our Davos impact, GCRP updates, and new ways to support our mission.
NEW: International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation
Glaciers store 70% of the world’s freshwater and support billions of people globally. But they are disappearing fast—threatening water access, food systems, and entire ecosystems. To spotlight their critical role, the UN has declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. March 21st also marked the first annual World Day for Glaciers.
Explore our new page that breaks down how glacial melt is destabilising our planet and why urgent climate action is essential.
Learn more about Glaciers here!
Arctic Basecamp’s Biggest Year Yet at Davos
Davos 2025 was Arctic Basecamp’s most successful yet.
For the ninth year, we brought science to the heart of the World Economic Forum—hosting high-level panels, launching the Nature and Climate Impact Team with the University of Exeter, and collaborating with partners across sectors.
From youth voices to digital hubs, we sparked bold conversations and helped keep polar change firmly on the global agenda.
Couldn’t make it in person? Visit this page to view some of our events.
Performing Hope for the Glaciers
Hope is action. And on 23 January 2025, action came to life on a mountaintop in Switzerland.
As part of IYGP, Arctic Basecamp & Climate Basecamp collaborated with University of Exeter’s Nature and Climate Impact Team on Performing Hope for the Glaciers—a powerful outdoor musical performance featuring world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Schatzalp Mountain in the Swiss Alps. This moving event was more than a concert; it was a call to action through the universal language of music.
Through this collaboration, we aimed to bridge the emotional and psychological gaps that often lead to climate apathy, and instead spark momentum toward global climate solutions.
NEW: Climate Vulnerable Spotlight
Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Malawi and Indonesia are facing some of the world’s most extreme climate impacts despite contributing little to global emissions. This is climate injustice in action.
In Bangladesh, the crisis is already disrupting daily life. In 2024, heatwaves shut down schools, floods displaced entire communities, and a record-breaking dengue outbreak strained the health system. Melting glaciers and rising seas are destabilising rivers, damaging crops, and pushing families from their homes.
In Ethiopia, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall triggered deadly landslides, destroyed farmland, and deepened food insecurity. Millions are now at risk, as climate extremes fuel both humanitarian and health emergencies across the country.
In Malawi, climate change is triggering a cascade of crises. In just the past two years, the country has been battered by deadly cyclones, widespread crop failures, and the worst cholera outbreak in its history. With nearly 90% of Malawians relying on agriculture, these shocks are fueling hunger, deepening poverty, and straining already fragile health systems.
Indonesia is on the frontline of the climate crisis, facing deadly floods, extreme heat, and rising disease outbreaks. Over 13 million people were impacted by climate-related disasters in just one year.
Visit the Global Climate Risks Platform to learn how climate change is hitting Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Indonesia—and why urgent global action can’t wait.
Your Support, Our Impact
Since launch, the Global Climate Risks Platform (formerly the Arctic Risk Platform) has surpassed 4 million visits globally. It remains a go-to source for connecting the dots between polar change and cascading global risks.
New content has been released on: glacial melt, climate change’s impact on business and healthcare, new interactive tools, as well as regional climate stories.
Our new Arctic Basecamp website is also now online!
We’re proud of our momentum—but we need your support to keep building. To help us return to Davos every year until 2030, consider contributing with your time, your network, or a donation.