Papua’s remaining snow around Puncak Jaya is expected to disappear within a year or two; glacier cover has fallen from nearly 1,900 hectares in the 19th Century to about 16 today. The ice holds climate records and is sacred to Indigenous communities.
Researcher Klaus Thymann says drone and 3D mapping show glaciated area fell 95% between the early 2000s and 2025. Glacier ecologist Marie Šabacká attributes the retreat to human-caused atmospheric warming; El Niño can accelerate it, while cloud cover, snowfall and terrain affect the pace. Papua’s isolated glaciers are the last remaining tropical ice between the Andes and Himalayas. Ice cores from Puncak Jaya preserve climate history and can help researchers study regional atmospheric conditions and changes in nearby tropical Pacific waters.
At least five Indigenous groups have spiritual ties to Puncak Jaya. The Moni call it Mbainggela; the Amungme call the range Nemangkawi, or “White Arrow,” a symbol of honesty, purity and moral integrity. Papuans say regional development has brought jobs, roads, education and economic opportunities, but also environmental degradation and decades of social conflict; some have lost access to ancestral land as mining expanded. The BBC said it had approached Grasberg mine operator Freeport for comment.
