The Himalayan glaciers are not just icy landscapes; they are lifelines for millions of people and ecosystems across Asia.
Here, Gunjan Silwal, Postgraduate Researcher at our School of Geography, Politics, and Sociology, reflects on the importance of Himalayan glaciers to all areas of life – from the erosion of spiritual traditions to rising global sea levels.
Contents:
- What are the facts about Himalayan glaciers?
- Why should we care about the Himalayan Glaciers?
- Glacier melt and the rise of sea levels
- Power generation and economy
- Cultural and social impact of glacial loss
- What can researchers do to preserve Himalayan glaciers?
- Tourism and sustainability
- Empowering local people to make change happen
What are the facts about Himalayan glaciers?
The Himalayas, both the youngest and highest mountain range on the planet, span about 2400 km across India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, and Pakistan. They are referred to as the ‘water towers of Asia’, as they have the largest deposits of ice and snow outside the polar regions1.
The glaciers of the Himalayas feed ten of Asia’s major rivers, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus, supplying water to over 1.6 billion people across South Asia2. However, their rapid retreat in recent decades due to climate change poses a significant threat to the region's water security, ecological balance, and socio-economic stability1,2.
Recent regional glacier modelling studies show that if global temperatures rise by 1.5°C, one-third of Himalayan glaciers could vanish by 2100, and at 2°C warming, two-thirds could disappear1.
Vanishing glaciers of the Himalaya: Panoramic view of West Rongbuk Glacier and Mount Everest, taken in 1921 (top) by Major E.O. Wheeler and in 2009 (bottom) by David Breashears.
Why should we care about the Himalayan Glaciers?
The Himalayan glaciers are not just icy landscapes; they are lifelines for millions of people and ecosystems across Asia.
Their preservation is critical for several interconnected reasons, ranging from water security and climate regulation to cultural heritage and global climate justice. The loss of these glaciers would reduce river flows, leading to water shortages, failed crops, and widespread food insecurity2. For a region already grappling with population pressures and resource constraints, the disappearance of these glaciers would be catastrophic.
Preserving Himalayan glaciers is not just about saving ice—it’s about securing water, food, and energy, for future generations of the region.
Beyond water security, Himalayan glaciers play a crucial role in regulating the region’s climate. Their bright, reflective surfaces, known as the albedo effect, help cool the area by reflecting sunlight back into the atmosphere. However, as glaciers shrink, darker bedrock is exposed, absorbing more heat and accelerating the melt and recession while unbalancing the regional climate.
Glacier melt and the rise of sea levels
The impacts of Himalayan glacier melt extend far beyond the region, contributing significantly to global sea-level rise.
Between 2000 and 2018, the melting of these glaciers added approximately 0.7 mm to global sea levels3. If this trend continues, it could worsen coastal erosion, flooding, and the displacement of communities in low-lying areas such as Bangladesh. Moreover, the loss of these glaciers threatens global freshwater reserves, affecting ecosystems and communities.
Rapidly melting Yala Glacier with its expanding proglacial lake in Nepal Himalaya. Yala Glacier is at the brink of its disappearance and is only glacier to be listed in Global Glacier Casualty List (GGCL) from entire Himalaya. The GGCL project was launched in 2024 by Rice University, University of Iceland, Iceland Glaciological Society, World Glacier Monitoring Service, & UNESCO. Image: Gunjan Silwal.
Power generation and economy
Economically, the Himalayan glaciers are indispensable. Countries like India, Nepal, and Bhutan rely heavily on glacier-fed rivers for hydropower generation, which is a cornerstone of their energy infrastructure.
The loss of glaciers would not only reduce water availability but also disrupt energy production, impacting industrial growth and livelihoods. This would have cascading effects on the region’s economic stability and development.
Cultural and social impact of glacial loss
Culturally and spiritually, the glaciers hold profound significance for the people of the Himalayas. Many communities revere glaciers as sacred entities, integral to their identity and heritage. For instance, the Gangotri Glacier, the source of the Ganges River, is considered holy by millions of Hindus and Buddhists. Its retreat is not just an environmental crisis but also a spiritual one, symbolizing the erosion of cultural traditions that have endured for centuries.
Thus, preserving Himalayan glaciers is not merely an environmental imperative but a socio-economic necessity.
The well-being of millions depends on the freshwater, ecological services, and climate regulation these glaciers provide. From a moral perspective, preserving Himalayan glaciers is a matter of climate justice. The communities most vulnerable to glacier loss are often those who have contributed the least to global warming1,2.
What can researchers do to preserve Himalayan glaciers?
Preserving Himalayan glaciers demands a comprehensive and collaborative approach that integrates scientific research, policy action, and community involvement1,2.
The primary driver of glacier retreat worldwide is global warming driven by rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
To address this, international cooperation is essential to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement and encourage the transition to renewable energy sources. Without significant emission reductions, efforts to protect these glaciers will be undermined2.
Scientific research plays a pivotal role in understanding and mitigating glacier loss. Despite their critical importance, Himalayan glaciers remain understudied compared to polar regions. Investing in advanced monitoring technologies, such as obtaining high-resolution datasets through the use of drones, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and ground-based sensors, can provide valuable insights into glacier dynamics and process-based understanding of the glaciers in the region.
Initiatives like NASA’s High Mountain Asia Team (HiMAT) have made notable progress, but greater global collaboration is needed to address knowledge gaps. Himalayan nations must work together to monitor glacial changes, share data, and develop policies that promote sustainable development while reducing emissions. Establishing an international network to assess risks, such as glacial lake outburst floods, is also vital for disaster preparedness and mitigation1,2.
The retreating Rikha Samba Glacier in the Dhaulagiri Mountain Range of Nepal Himalaya. Image: Gunjan Silwal.
Tourism and sustainability
Tourism, while economically beneficial, poses significant environmental challenges in the Himalayas.
Millions of visitors each year contribute to pollution, as well as environmental and habitat degradation. Implementing sustainable tourism practices — such as limiting visitor numbers, enforcing strict waste management protocols, and promoting eco-friendly travel — can help minimize the ecological footprint and protect fragile glacier ecosystems2.
Empowering local people to make change happen
Equally important is empowering local communities, who have lived in harmony with these mountains for centuries.
Strengthening their resilience through education, resource management programs, and sustainable livelihood initiatives can enhance their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions2. Indigenous knowledge and practices can also complement scientific efforts in glacier preservation2.
Furthermore, Governments in the region must prioritize glacier conservation in their climate policies. This includes creating protected areas, regulating industrial activities, and fostering transboundary cooperation to manage shared water resources. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Call to Action by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a promising step forward, highlighting the need for collective action to safeguard these vital ecosystems.
You might also like
- find out more about the author, Gunjan Silwal, Postgraduate Researcher at our School of Geography, Politics, and Sociology
- read the special report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate
- explore the work that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has done on high mountain regions
- find out more about The Paris Agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21)
- find out how the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Call to Action by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is working to make this region greener, more inclusive, and climate-resilient
- read our blog for World Day of Glacier Preservation and World Water Day: 'Why should we preserve glaciers?'
References:
[1] Wester, P., Mishra, A., Mukherji, A., & Shrestha, A. B. (2019). The Hindu Kush Himalaya assessment: mountains, climate change, sustainability and people (p. 627). Springer Nature.
[2] Wester, P., Chaudhary, S., Chettri, N., Jackson, M., Maharjan, A., Nepal, S., & Steiner, J. F. (2023). Water, ice, society, and ecosystems in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: an outlook. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
[3] Shean, D. E., Bhushan, S., Montesano, P., Rounce, D. R., Arendt, A., & Osmanoglu, B. (2020). A systematic, regional assessment of high mountain Asia glacier mass balance. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7, 363.