UN urges to save glaciers, secure the planet | UPSC Current Affairs News

Around 70% of the world’s freshwater resources are stored in glaciers, which are essentially large and thick masses of ice formed on land due to the accumulation of snow over decades, sometimes even centuries. However, glaciers are very sensitive to rising temperatures and are considered critical indicators of climate change. 

As global warming intensifies, glaciers worldwide are melting at an alarming rate, affecting regional water cycles and global climate system. The melting of glaciers also contributes to the global sea level rise and aggravates the risks for coastal populations. These challenges underscore the urgent need for climate action and sustainable glacier management.

To raise awareness about the significance of preserving glacier health in a warming world, the United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. Furthermore, starting in 2025, March 21 will be marked annually as the World Day of Glaciers. This initiative was proposed by Tajikistan during the first meeting of the Water and Climate Leaders in their Call for Action on March 3,  2021, and was subsequently adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2022.

Risks posed by melting glaciers 

Glaciers are masses of ice and snow flowing under the influence of gravity. They contain crucial sources of information about our past climate and environmental history. The Randolph Glacier Inventory (RGI 7.0) estimates a total of approximately 275,000 glaciers of various shapes and sizes in the world, covering an area of about 700,000 km². 

Glaciers are vital reservoirs of freshwater, which make them indispensable to the global water cycle and essential for sustaining ecosystems and human communities. However, in some cases, the continuous retreat of glaciers could lead to the formation and expansion of glacial lakes. These lakes will pose serious risks to downstream communities and infrastructure through glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).

In polar regions, rising temperatures could also enhance the process of calving — where large chunks of ice break off from glaciers — affecting the dynamics of glaciers and ice sheets. This phenomenon not only disrupts regional ecosystems but also contributes to global sea level rise.

Preserving Himalayan glaciers for climatic stability

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region has the largest concentration of snow and glaciers outside the polar regions. Therefore, it is referred to as the “Third Pole” of the world. The HKH spreads across eight countries, with Afghanistan making its western boundary and Myanmar its eastern limit. 

The HKH is the source of 10 major rivers, including the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra, making it a freshwater tower of South Asia. These rivers provide crucial water resources for drinking, irrigation, energy generation and other ecosystem services for more than 1.3 billion population living in downstream areas.

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is part of the larger HKH system. The geological survey of India has mapped a total of 9,575 glaciers in the Indian part of the Himalayas. The IHR spans a distance of about 2,500 km across 13 Indian states and Union Territories, as outlined by NITI Aayog, with approximately 50 million people residing in the region.

Long-term data on climatic parameters shows an increasing temperature trend and a decrease in the solid precipitation (snow) across most parts of the IHR. Western Himalaya receives most of its snowfall during the winter months mainly due to western disturbances. This seasonal snowmelt serves as the major source of water for the river systems of the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra. 

Snow that falls on the glaciers, if not melted, feeds the glaciers by increasing their mass. However, due to increasing warming, the timing and intensity of the snowfall have been negatively affected in many parts. Low solid precipitation and increased temperature also lead to glacier mass loss and instability. 

Differential melting in parts of IHR 

Glaciers across the Himalayan regions are showing a negative mass balance, with one notable exception –  the glaciers of the Karakoram region. While individual Himalayan glaciers are showing contrasting behaviour, overall, the Karakoram Glaciers have remained relatively stable since the 1970s, a phenomenon termed the “Karakoram Anomaly”.

Regional analysis shows that Western Himalayan (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh) glaciers are retreating at faster rates compared to Central (Uttarakhand) and Eastern Himalayan (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh.) glaciers. Very few glaciers in the Himalayas have continuous field estimates and long-term mass balance records. Among these, Chhota Shigri, Hamtah, Shaune Garang and Mera glaciers are some cases in point as they all show clear evidence of mass loss.

Glacier melting is influenced by a combination of climatic and non-climatic factors. Earlier, we discussed mainly climatic factors such as temperature, rainfall, and snowfall. Non-climatic factors include location (altitude and latitude), topography (slope, aspect, glacier bed, size), debris cover, glacial lake/waterbody, black carbon, etc. 

Unlike the Alpine glaciers, a significant number of glaciers in IHR are covered by debris, ranging from approximately 5% to 15% of the total glacier area. Thus, Himalayan glaciers are not homogenous entities and their differential response to climate change is based on these climatic and non-climatic factors.

Melting glaciers and need for action

Most of the Himalayan glaciers are indicating a negative mass balance trend, with a differential rate of retreat and melting. In the present warming scenario, declining seasonal snowfall will pose a serious threat to freshwater availability for the downstream population. In most parts of the High Himalayan region, snow and glacier melt is the only source of drinking and irrigation for local communities. 

Continued warming could lead to reduced water availability in the long run, which could severely affect agriculture productivity and lead to adverse socio-economic consequences. Moreover, rising temperatures have also contributed to an increase in the number and size of glacial lakes. These expanding lakes present a growing risk of GLOFs, threatening the safety of downstream communities and critical infrastructure, including various hydro-power projects.

Addressing these challenges requires urgent and sustained efforts. In August 2024, the United Nations adopted a resolution to declare the period from 2025 to 2034 as the “Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences”. This initiative seeks to promote global cooperation and advance research in cryosphere monitoring. 

At the national level, the Indian government has launched the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). NMSHE focuses on understanding the impacts of climate change on the Himalayan ecosystem. However, there is a need for enhanced policies and financial investments to facilitate the establishment of more automatic weather stations and continuous field-based glacier monitoring in IHR.  

Post Read Questions

What is the significance of the United Nations declaring 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation?

Why is the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region referred to as the “Third Pole of the World”? What makes the region a crucial “freshwater tower” for South Asia?

What are the potential long-term impacts of continued warming on water availability and agricultural productivity in the Himalayas?

What are the risks associated with expanding glacial lakes, and how do they affect downstream communities and infrastructure?

What are the goals of the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) under India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)?

(Abhinav Rai is a Doctoral candidate at the Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi.)

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