East Georgia glacial basins degradation dynamics under the impact of current climate change.

Modern glaciation is unevenly distributed among different regions of the Earth. Glaciers in Georgia are spread over the Great Caucasus Range, concentrated in the basins of Enguri, Rion, Kodori, Tergi and other rivers. The impact of current climate change on the glaciers is most visible in the changes in the characteristics of the glacial basins. The only way to scientifically study the effects of current climate change on glaciers is to use high- resolution satellite remote sensing, as this technology allows simultaneously studying the state of glaciers over a large area with the required resolution and accuracy, with limited material resources and restricted time. The authors address these issues along with SRS data using complex, integrated applications of historical data on glaciers (glacier catalogue), existing fieldworks, and expert knowledge. The East Georgia rivers’ glacial basins degradation dynamics were researched to study the current climate change impact on the glaciers by making a comparison of the characteristics of glaciers (area and number) for three-time moments. A comparison of these conditions showed that the area and number of glaciers are greatly decreasing due to climate change. The glacier’s degradation is nonlinear, which makes the melting of glaciers in the second period more intense than in the first one. This result fully reflects the main thesis of the Sixth Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that climate change is not as troubling as its speed. The issues of Georgian glacier degradation due to the current climate change were discussed at various high-level forums. For the latest time, it is worth noting that at the end of 2021, at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP 26) the Georgian delegation has a presentation on the dynamics of glacial degradation in East Georgia due to climate change. The main results of glaciers’ degradation due to the climate change impact were included in the Fourth National Communication of Georgia to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Tab. 2, Fig. 2, Ref. 13.