Between 2011 and 2020, glaciers melted 65% faster than in the previous decade. This situation threatens the water supply of nearly 2 billion people.
The “roof of the world” is dying. Glaciers in the Himalayas are melting at an unprecedented rate due to climate change. This situation threatens the water supply of nearly 2 billion people, according to a scientific study published on Tuesday 20 June.
Between 2011 and 2020, glaciers melted 65% faster than in the previous decade, reveals a study by the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), an intergovernmental organization based in Nepal and whose member countries are also l Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Burma and Pakistan.
Consequences on the diet of billions of people
“With the warming, the ice will melt, it was predictable. But what is unexpected and very worrying is the speed”said the study’s lead author, Philippus Wester. “It’s going much faster than we thought”he said.
However, the glaciers of the Hindu Kush region and the Himalayas are a crucial source of water for around 240 million people in the mountainous regions, as well as for another 1.65 billion people in the valleys. below, says the report. Based on current emissions trajectories, glaciers could lose up to 80% of their current volume by the end of the century, ICIMOD estimated,
Himalayan glaciers feed 10 of the world’s most important river basins, including the Ganges, Indus, Yellow River, Mekong and Irrawaddy, and directly or indirectly provide food, energy and income to billions of people.
Even if global warming is limited to 1.5°C to 2°C above pre-industrial levels agreed in the Paris Climate Treaty, glaciers are expected to lose between a third and a half of their volume by 2100, according to the study. “This highlights the need for urgent climate action”said Philippus Wester. “Every small increase will have a huge impact and we really, really need to work on mitigating climate change.”