Himalayan glaciers’ ice loss rates doubled since 2000
KATHMANDU, March 22: Glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) are melting at an accelerating rate, with ice loss rates doubling since 2000 and a 12 percent reduction in glacier area between 1990 and 2020, according to two reports published by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) on World Glacier Day, March 21.
The reports, Changing Dynamics of Glaciers in the HKH Region from 1990 to 2020 and HKH Glacier Outlook 2026: Insights from 50 Years of Himalayan Glacier Monitoring, provide the most comprehensive evidence of glacier change in the region. They show a total ice thickness loss of up to 27 meters since 1975 and warn that parts of the Himalayan cryosphere may be approaching tipping points toward irreversible retreat.
The HKH holds the largest volume of ice outside the poles and feeds at least 10 major Asian river systems, supporting billions of people with water, food, and energy resources. Around 78 percent of glaciers, situated between 4,500 and 6,000 meters above sea level, are highly exposed to elevation-dependent warming. The smallest glaciers, under 0.5 sq km, are shrinking fastest, increasing local water scarcity and risks of glacial lake outburst floods. Larger glaciers above 10 sq km hold nearly 40 percent of the region’s ice reserves, making them crucial for long-term water security.
Despite these critical threats, monitoring remains inadequate. Of 38 glaciers studied in detail, only seven meet the global benchmark standards of the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS). Vast glacierized areas, including the Karakoram, Sikkim, Zanskar, and Bhutan, remain largely unmonitored, creating blind spots in tracking water flow and climate-related risks.
The reports call for scaling up glacier monitoring, standardizing methodologies, and investing in climate-resilient adaptation planning. ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho stressed the urgency, warning that water uncertainty and catastrophic floods highlight a critical decade for the cryosphere.
Sustained monitoring of representative glaciers such as Mera, Rikha Samba, and Chhota Shigri is essential to provide early warning indicators for the entire region. The analysis underscores the urgent need for coordinated action to mitigate escalating risks from glacier loss in the HKH. (PTI)
