India, Jan. 17 -- The United Nations will observe 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, with March 21 marked annually as World Day for Glaciers from that year, experts from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and Unesco said on Thursday.

The Hindu Kush Himalayan cryosphere is warming at twice the global average rate, according to the International Cryosphere Initiative. There are more than 275,000 glaciers worldwide covering approximately 700,000 sq km, with ice sheets storing about 70% of global freshwater.

The World Glacier Monitoring Service tracks both glaciological and geodetic samples. About 210,000 glaciers are being monitored for elevation changes through geodetic samples. The data shows almost all gl...