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For years, photographer James Balog has been risking his life to document the receding of glaciers as climate change begins taking its toll at the earth’s extremities. These pairs of images from his new book, Ice: Portraits of Vanishing Glaciers, released last month by Rizzoli, show the transformation of glaciers in Switzerland, Canada, Iceland and Greenland since 2006.

Stein Glacier, Switzerland. September 25, 2006.

Stein Glacier, Switzerland. September 17, 2011.

Bridge Glacier, British Columbia, Canada. September 1, 2009.

Bridge Glacier, British Columbia, Canada. August 23, 2010.

Elger Glacier, Switzerland. September 24, 2006.

Elger Glacier, Switzerland. September 25, 2011.

Umiamako Glacier, Greenland. June 17, 2007

Umiamako Glacier, Greenland. June 16, 2011

snæfellsjökull Glacier, Iceland. March 5, 2005.

snæfellsjökull Glacier, Iceland. June 17, 2011.

Trift Glacier, Switzerland. September 25, 2006.

Trift Glacier, Switzerland. September 16, 2011.

Trift Glacier, Switzerland. September 25, 2006.

Trift Glacier, Switzerland. September 16, 2011.