❄️ Dissapear by 2026

The Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in Indonesia has predicted that the the remaining snow on Puncak Jayawijaya, also known as Puncak Jaya or Carstensz Pyramid in Papua is threatened by disappearance in 2026 due to global warming and climate change, including the El Nino effect. This information was shared during a meeting with the Commission V of the DPR RI at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta on April 2022. Currently, the ice thickness has shrunk to only a third of its size from a decade ago, and it is estimated to decrease by 2.5 meters per year over the past five years. BMKG stated that "the ice cannot be saved" and that they can only document the process of its disappearance, which is expected to be complete by 2026.

Edge of glacier above Freeport’s Grasberg mine Puncak Jaya, glaciers, and Freeport mine in background | AU PMB PHOTO 106-327

BMKG conducted expeditions to the top of the East Nortwall Firn snow in 2010 and 2015. In 2010, the ice thickness at this location was recorded at 32 meters, which is more than four times the height of the Bundaran HI statue. In 2015, there was a significant El Nino event and accompanying weather changes in Indonesia, leading to a further decrease in ice thickness of 5.69 meters in just one year. The rate of ice thickness reduction increased over the following five years, with a total decrease of twofold from 2016 to 2021.

⛏️ Freeport Activities

Local emissions, such as those from industry, transportation, and energy production, can contribute to higher temperatures in a specific area, known as local warming. Local warming can have significant impacts on the local ecosystem, including changes in precipitation patterns, vegetation, and wildlife.

Beside global climate change and El Nino event, this cannot be separated from the activities of Freeport which resulted in more than 2 million tons of carbon dioxide annually according its 2020 climate report. As the ice melts, the size of the mining holes increases, a distance of 15 km (if a straight line is drawn).

The ice cover of the glacier on Puncak Jaya, Papua in 1976. | Taken from this article

The ice cover of the glacier on Puncak Jaya, Papua in 2016. | Taken from this article

The ice cover of the glacier on Puncak Jaya, Papua in 2021. | Taken from this article

The melting of the snow-covered peaks in Papua, Indonesia, would not only result in the loss of a unique and beautiful landscape, but it could also have negative impacts on the local flora and fauna. Researchers need to further investigate these potential impacts. In addition to the environmental consequences, the melting of these peaks would also be a significant cultural loss for the local Papuan community. These snow-capped peaks hold significant cultural and spiritual value for the community, and their disappearance would be a significant loss. It is important to consider the various ways in which melting glaciers and snow-covered peaks can impact people and communities, as well as the environment.