Indigenous people in the Peruvian Andes undertake a pilgrimage to the Qulqipunku glacier. The glacier is retreating as the climate warms. Salwan Georges / The Washington Post via Getty Images

In mountain regions from the Andes to the Himalayas, Indigenous people see the retreat of glaciers as a sign that they have lost the favor of their gods or ancestors.

“In many regions, mountains, glaciers and the water originating from them maintain central roles in local religious beliefs and practices,” researchers write in a recent paper. “As such, changing mountain landscapes and disappearing glaciers are not just physical consequences of climate change but also endanger the deep connection of people with their environment.”

Since 2000, glaciers around the world have lost 5 percent of their ice.…