An expedition to document the last tropical glaciers in Oceania has revealed that Indonesia’s ‘eternity glaciers’ on Puncak Jaya have lost 95% of their area since 2002. The glaciers, known locally as ‘eternal snow’, are the only tropical glaciers in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
Klaus Thymann, a Danish explorer and founder of Project Pressure, led the expedition. He described the scene as “planetary destruction on fast-forward”. The team used drones and satellite positioning to create a 3D model of the mountain, working through near-constant rain.
Two studies published in late 2024 confirm the glaciers’ rapid decline. One found that Papua’s tropical glaciers lost 97% of their ice mass between 1980 and 2024, with four of six glaciers already gone. The remaining two are projected to disappear by the end of the decade.
Francine Hematang, a researcher at Papua University, called the loss “deeply saddening”. Another study documented a 99% decrease in glacier surface area since 1850. Tropical glaciers are found mainly in the Andes, but also in East Africa and Indonesia, and are melting due to fossil fuel pollution.
Thymann noted the philosophical weight of losing something called ‘eternal’, saying it raises questions about humanity’s impact on geological time. The glaciers’ disappearance will affect local communities and global water security, as glaciers worldwide are projected to lose a quarter of their mass by 2100.
