A striking contrast between extremes—water and aridity, ice and sand, resilience and transformation. For scientists in the South, the connections between glaciers and deserts are more than visual contrasts—they are linked by climate change, shifting ecosystems, and human resilience. This theme invites photographers to explore the delicate balance between these environments, their shared vulnerabilities, and their profound impact on life and to explores links between climate, ecology & human adaptation.

Photography is a window to the world, capable of freezing not only the fleeting beauty of nature but also the profound transformations shaping our planet. Through Southern Lenses: Science in Focus 2025 invites photographers from all corners of the globe to delve into the impact of climate change by exploring the theme “Glaciers and Deserts.”

Two extremes, two faces of the same crisis. While glaciers melt at an accelerating pace due to global warming, their silent waters raise sea levels, threatening coastal communities and fragile ecosystems. On the other side, deserts expand, swallowing fertile lands, reshaping landscapes, and challenging the survival of millions.

Science warns us: the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica are disappearing at an alarming rate, and sea levels could rise by more than a meter by the end of this century. Meanwhile, desertification already consumes about 40% of the planet’s land, creating vast territories where life struggles to persist.

Through the lens, we aim to capture these changes and turn them into an urgent call for action. We invite photographers to reveal the fragility of glaciers and the relentless immensity of deserts, showing how these two seemingly distant worlds are interconnected by the same climate crisis.

The selected images will come to life in an international exhibition, becoming part of a collective movement to document, reflect on, and raise awareness of the environmental impacts that are already reshaping our present and the future of our planet.

This is the moment to capture the Earth in transition. This is the moment to see the world Through Southern Lenses.