Tasman Glacier, New Zealand
21 March 2026 marks World Day for Glaciers, which is dedicated to raising global awareness of the importance of glaciers and the urgent need to protect them. Many glaciers are of great ecological importance because they feed freshwater river systems and river habitats. One example is the Tasman Glacier in New Zealand. The glacier lies within Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, a protected alpine landscape that forms part of the Te Wāhipounamu UNESCO World Heritage site.
In this image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 30 January 2026, the glacier appears in bright white and pale blue tones, while the dark grey moraines stretching southwards mark its path. Fresh meltwater flows down the valley and empties into Tasman Lake, which appears in turquoise tones.
Copernicus satellite data help track glacier retreat, snow cover, and sediment-rich river dynamics, supporting climate research and water-resource management.
