Additional info from The Climate Reality Project
The snow and ice atop Mount Kilimanjaro is disappearing quickly: As of 2009, just 15% of the ice cover in 1912 remained on the mountain.
What’s behind this shrinkage? There are probably several factors at play. Think of a glacier as a bank account. Just as the balance in your bank account depends on how much money you put in and take out, the “balance” of a glacier over a given time period depends on the formation of new ice (via rain and snowfall) and the loss of old ice (mostly through melting).
Some scientists believe the retreat of Mount Kilimanjaro's glacier can be attributed in part to a reduction in snow caused by deforestation or land-use change. Cutting down forests allows winds to sweep up the mountain, which in turn can affect cloud formation, and therefore the amount of rainfall. But more research is required to assess the extent to which deforestation is affecting Mount Kilimanjaro's glacier.
Besides, less rain and snow is not incompatible with other causes of ice loss — like increased air temperatures caused by global warming. As one scientist put it, “Based on what is now known, it would be highly premature to conclude the retreat and imminent disappearance of the Kilimanjaro glaciers has nothing to do with warming of the air…”
But don't let the continuing Kilimanjaro investigation distract you from the bigger picture. Glaciers all over the world are shrinking, and global climate change is the main reason for this trend. A recent study found that mountain glaciers and polar ice sheets lost more than 530 gigatons of ice per year from 2003 to 2010, making a significant contribution to global sea level rise. We don't need to wait around until we solve the Kilimanjaro question before we act on climate change. In fact, we can't afford to wait.