The Himalayas are approaching a critical tipping point as accelerating glacier loss threatens to reshape water availability, increase the risk of floods and landslides, and put millions of livelihoods and vital economic infrastructure across south asia at risk, a new study has warned.The warning comes from a study led by Systemiq in partnership with the Integrated Mountain Initiative, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment. It finds that Himalayan glaciers are losing mass 65 percent faster than they were a decade ago, raising the prospect of major changes in the region’s water cycle in the decades ahead.The warning comes after the glacier collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26 triggered a massive flash flood, killing more than 1,300 people and damaging roads, bridges and hydropower projects. The disaster highlighted the cascading risks linked to accelerating Himalayan glacier retreat.The study’s warning goes beyond the familiar concern over melting glaciers. It points to a chain of interconnected risks. Rapid ice loss can initially increase downstream water flows, while the formation and expansion of unstable glacial lakes can raise the threat of sudden floods and landslides.But as glaciers continue to shrink, the region could eventually pass “peak water”, the point after which glacier-fed river flows begin to decline.Major risks for the regionThe study identifies water security as one of the biggest long-term risks for the Himalayan region. It warns that glaciers are losing mass 65 percent faster than a decade ago and the region is moving towards “peak water”, after which declining glacier reserves could reduce river flows. This could put downstream agriculture, cities and communities under increasing water stress.According to the study, the risks extend to hydropower, agriculture and livelihoods. Changes in the timing and availability of water could affect irrigation and electricity generation, while extreme weather and mountain hazards could increase losses for communities dependent on farming, tourism and other local economic activities.India faces a particularly significant exposure, with close to 200 glacial lakes identified as high risk, including 56 classified as very high risk, leaving millions of people downstream vulnerable. The Himalayan region also accounts for roughly 35 percent of India’s natural disasters despite covering around 18 percent of the country’s land area, according to the report.
Share your thoughts in the comments
Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
The study estimates that the Himalayan system underpins more than 20 percent of India’s GDP, meaning disruptions to the region’s water and natural systems could have consequences well beyond the Himalayan states.The study also points to a serious early-warning and monitoring gap. Of an estimated 40,000 glaciers across the Hindu Kush-Himalaya, only 21 are monitored on the ground. This limited monitoring capacity could make it harder to detect rapidly developing glacier and glacial-lake hazards and provide timely warnings.
Leave a Reply