Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayas in Asia could lose up to 75 percent of their volume by the end of the century due to global warming, according to a new report, leading to dangerous flooding and water shortages for the 240 million people who inhabit the mountainous region.
A team of international scientists has found that the melting of ice in the region, where the famous peaks of Everest and K2 are located, is accelerating.
Acceleration
During the 2010s, glacier melt accelerated by 65% compared to the previous decade, according to the assessment of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the intergovernmental scientific authority for the region.
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The Hindu Kush Himalayas stretches for 3,500 km and crosses Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.
According to the report, glaciers will lose between 30 and 50 percent of their entire region by 2,100 if warming is between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures.
A danger to communities
The extent of melting will depend on the geographical location of the glaciers. With a warming of 3°C, which is currently forecast, glaciers in the eastern Himalayas, present in Nepal and Bhutan, will lose up to 75% of their ice. With a warming of 4°C, this figure rises to 80%.
Melting glaciers also pose a danger to communities downstream. Runoff accumulates in shallow lakes, held back by rocks and debris. The risk arises when a lake overflows, crossing its natural barrier and throwing a torrent of water into the mountain valleys.
Governments are trying to prepare for these changes. China is working to shore up the country's water reserves. As for Pakistan, it is installing warning systems in case of glacial lake overflows.
With AFP
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