Himalayan glaciers melting 65% faster, threatening water security

Himalayan glaciers glacial melt water security climate change natural disasters

A new study by Systemiq, the Integrated Mountain Initiative, ICIMOD, and the G.B. Pant National Institute for Himalayan Environment warns that the Himalayan glaciers are approaching a critical tipping point. Glacial mass loss has accelerated, with glaciers melting 65 percent faster than a decade ago. This rapid melting is creating unstable glacial lakes that pose a severe risk of catastrophic flooding to millions of people living in the valleys below.

The research highlights a significant lack of monitoring; of the estimated 40,000 glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region, only 21 are being continuously monitored. The consequences of this instability were recently demonstrated by a glacier collapse at the Nepal-Tibet border in late August, which resulted in at least 1,300 deaths and left over 5,300 people missing.

In India, the situation is particularly acute. While the Himalayas cover about 18 percent of the country's territory, the region accounts for 35 percent of India's natural disasters. The Indian government has already classified 56 glacial lakes as being at “very high risk.” The melting glaciers also threaten water security, as meltwater is expected to peak by the middle of the century before a continuous decline, impacting agriculture, hydropower, and tourism, which together support approximately 20 percent of India's GDP.

Entities

G.B. Pant National Institute for Himalayan Environment · Himalayas · ICIMOD · India · Integrated Mountain Initiative · Karakoram · Nepal · Systemiq · Tibet

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] The Hindu Kush-Himalaya mountain system spans eight countries, from Afghanistan to Myanmar. www.news20.ro · hotnews.ro
[● 7 SOURCES] The Indian government has classified 56 glacial lakes as being at very high risk. skopskoeho.mk · tocka.com.mk · www.news20.ro · www.cumhuriyet.com.tr · hotnews.ro · +2 more
[● 5 SOURCES] Glacial meltwater is expected to reach a peak by the middle of the century before continuously declining. www.news20.ro · hotnews.ro · www.cna.gr · skopskoeho.mk · athina984.gr
[● 7 SOURCES] Only 21 glaciers out of an estimated 40,000 in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region are being continuously monitored. skopskoeho.mk · www.news20.ro · tocka.com.mk · hotnews.ro · www.cumhuriyet.com.tr · +2 more
[● 5 SOURCES] A glacier collapse at the Nepal-Tibet border in late August caused at least 1,300 deaths and left over 5,300 people missing. www.news20.ro · hotnews.ro · tocka.com.mk · www.cna.gr · athina984.gr
[● 5 SOURCES] Himalayan glaciers are losing mass 65 percent faster than a decade ago. skopskoeho.mk · www.news20.ro · tocka.com.mk · hotnews.ro · www.cumhuriyet.com.tr
[○ 1 SOURCE] Black carbon particles contribute to approximately one-third of Himalayan glacier melting. skopskoeho.mk
[○ 1 SOURCE] Himalayan waters support activities that generate approximately 20 percent of India's GDP. skopskoeho.mk
[● 7 SOURCES] A study was conducted by Systemiq, the Integrated Mountain Initiative, ICIMOD, and the G.B. Pant National Institute for Himalayan Environment. www.news20.ro · tocka.com.mk · www.cumhuriyet.com.tr · hotnews.ro · www.cna.gr · +2 more