When we were in Iceland nearly three years ago we visited a couple of popular glacier national parks as well as spots where glacial ice had spectacularly floated into lagoons by the ocean and out onto the beaches. There were lots of people around in these places, but we also drove in several kilometres on a rough rode to a remote spot where we were essentially alone with a glacier. I found it a moving, spiritual experience as we hiked around a glacial lake to the ice. There is a sense that these are massive living entities and we are very small. There are only a few mentions of snow and ice in the bible, and no references to glaciers, yet these are an exquisite part of Creation
Of course this glacier was on the move, as all are in places around the world, and with increasing speed. The term "glacial" is no longer a synonym for "exceedingly slow" and places such as Glacier National Park in the US may the Park Formerly Known as Glacier in a relatively short period of time. Glaciers are a dying species even though they were never technically alive. Even in Iceland glaciers are endangered.
Recently Iceland put up a plaque which is sort of grave marker or tombstone to the former Okjökull glacier, which has shrunk to non-glacier status. It is also a challenge to humans regarding the climate crisis. It reads in both Icelandic and English:
“In the next 200 years, all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it.”
The memorial is dated August 2019 and also carries the words “415ppm CO2”, referring to the record-breaking level of 415 parts per million of carbon dioxide recorded in the atmosphere in May this year.
This is poignant and ironic. Iceland is now almost 100% fossil-free when it comes to generating domestic energy -- an impressive achievement, thanks to thermal power.g. But tourism is now the number one industry with about 2 million visitors annually - six for every Icelander. And how do we all get there and travel around the island? Fossil fuels. Our rental vehicle was diesel-powered.
Well, perhaps this sign will be a prophetic call to action rather than a death knell, God being our helper.
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