In March 2026, the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam) confirmed the definitive disappearance of the Cerros de la Plaza glacier, located in the Sierra Nevada de El Cocuy (Boyacá, Colombia).
Images from the European program Copernicus Sentinel-2 documented the progressive retreat of this tropical ice mass over the last decade, until its total extinction.
Chronology of the retreat
- 2016: the glacier was still clearly distinguishable on the mountainous landscape.
- 2018-2020: the surface area was significantly reduced.
- 2022-2024: the ice appeared fragmented and scattered.
- 2025: only small isolated remnants remained.
- 2026: the coverage went from 5.5 km² to 0 km², confirming its disappearance.
Strategic ecosystem
The glacier was part of a high mountain ecosystem surrounded by páramos, glacial lagoons, and species native to the Andes.
Its loss directly affects the water and climate regulation of the region, in addition to altering the ecological balance of the high mountain.
Importance of tropical glaciers
- Water reservoirs: they store water in cold periods and release it gradually in dry periods.
- Climate indicators: their retreat evidences the impact of global warming.
- Ecosystem services: they sustain páramos and nourish rivers with vital nutrients.
- Climate memory: they hold the environmental history of the region.
- High mountain balance: their disappearance reduces biodiversity and accelerates local warming by decreasing the albedo effect.
National and international context
Colombia harbors the largest tropical glacier surface in the Andean region, but all its glaciers are in accelerated retreat. The disappearance of Cerros de la Plaza reinforces alerts about the vulnerability of these ecosystems to climate change.
Globally, the loss of tropical glaciers has become a symbol of the impact of global warming on fragile ecosystems. These glaciers, present in countries like Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, fulfill vital functions for water regulation and biodiversity.
Local consequences
The disappearance of the glacier directly affects communities that depend on rivers and streams fed by the meltwater. It also alters the cultural and tourist landscape of the Sierra Nevada de El Cocuy, a protected area that attracts visitors for its snowy mountains and unique biodiversity.
The extinction of the Cerros de la Plaza glacier is a painful milestone in Colombia’s environmental history. Its irreversible loss warns of the urgency to conserve the remaining glaciers, which act as water regulators and natural climate thermometers.
The disappearance of this tropical glacier reminds us that climate change is not a future threat, but a reality that is already transforming high mountain ecosystems.
