Third Pole and the Glaciers
Glaciers, important freshwater reservoirs, play a crucial role for both people and the environment. They are the source of mighty rivers like the Ganges, Indus, and the Brahmaputra, providing water for domestic consumption, agriculture (food), hydropower (energy), and sustaining the ecosystems (biodiversity), both mountain and riverine.? However, according to the Hindu Kush Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment Programme (HKH-MAP), even if global warming is limited to 1.5°C, it is estimated that one-third of the region’s glaciers could disappear by 2100 (IPCC 2019, ICIMOD 2023). The rapid melting of glaciers threatens to reduce freshwater availability, which could have severe implications for society and the economy, while simultaneously increasing the region’s vulnerability to floods and lake bursting.
Retreating Glaciers and Monitoring Systems
The Government of India, through various agencies including the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Department of Science & Technology (DST), the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Department of Space (DoS), the Ministry of Mines (MoM), and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), monitors Himalayan glaciers for various scientific studies related to glacier melting. Reports indicate accelerated heterogeneous mass loss in Himalayan glaciers. The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) Space application Centre (SAC) has mapped 5234 glaciers in the Himalayan-Karakoram (H-K) region using primarily IRS LISS III data. This mapping illustrates the differing rates of glacier area loss throughout the region. Additionally, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and various institutes and universities, under the projects funded by the DST, have conducted mass balance studies on a number of glaciers. The findings reveal that most Himalayan glaciers are melting or retreating at varying rates in different regions.
According to Steps To Preserve The Himalayan Glaciers (Rajya Sabha Unstarred question, 2023), the mean retreat rate of the Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers is 14.9 ± 15.1 metre/annum (m/a). This rate varies by river basin: 12.7 ± 13.2 m/a for the Indus basin, 15.5 ± 14.4 m/a for the Ganga basin, and 20.2 ± 19.7 m/a for the Brahmaputra basin. However, glaciers in the Karakoram region have shown comparatively minor length change (-1.37 ± 22.8 m/a), indicating more stable conditions.
Glacial Lake Outbursts
One of the major consequences of glacier melting is the creation of glacial lakes, which can lead to devastating floods. This was seen in Sikkim in 2023, where numerous casualties occurred and extensive damage was inflicted on infrastructure. In response, a high-level committee chaired by the Union Home Minister has approved a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) risk mitigation project worth Rs 150 crore for the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. This project aims to support state governments in implementing various mitigation measures related to GLOF (PIB, 2024). Following the 2023 Sikkim disaster, the government initiated an early warning system for 188 critical lakes in the Indian Himalayan Region prone to GLOFs. Joint expeditions have been organised to assess risks and plan mitigation measures.
Policies and Programmes
To address glacier retreat while considering the delicate balance of nature, it is essential to emphasise policies and regulations at both mitigating climate change and implementing adaptation-based measures with community involvement. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, establishing protected areas around glaciers, regulating tourism activities in glacial regions, managing water resources, and building community resilience in affected areas are some effective strategies to reduce or slow down glacial melting. Additionally, initiatives that use traditional water harvesting techniques, build artificial glaciers, set up early warning systems, and use AI/satellite-based glacier monitoring can be prioritised. Protecting and restoring forests to act as carbon sinks, providing carbon credit for conservation within communities, promoting investment in renewable energy, and ensuring adherence to energy efficiency standards are also important actions to take.
In India, glacier preservation is guided by policies and initiatives that address climate change, particularly the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE). The mission is part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), launched in 2008. The NMSHE focuses on enhancing our understanding of the Himalayan environment and its conservation, including preserving glaciers. In 2023, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources recommended the establishment of an overarching apex body for glacier management in the country. The committee highlighted the inadequacy of current monitoring systems and emphasised the need for proactive hazard assessment and risk management. Given these concerns, it is therefore urgent to draft a glacier preservation and governance framework across the Hindu Kush region with enhanced coordination across various institutes, organisations, and government machinery for the preservation of glaciers and to reduce the vulnerability of people to unprecedented disasters.
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Conclusion
Taking cognisance of the strategic role of glaciers to maintaining planetary health, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2022 to declare 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation. Additionally, it proclaimed March 21 of each year as the World Glacier Day, beginning in 2025. This initiative provides a unique opportunity to prioritise the preservation of these vital ecosystems, raise awareness about the importance of glaciers, snow, and ice in the climate system and hydrological cycle, and engage stakeholders in raising awareness, promoting action, and strengthening policy frameworks. Since glaciers in the Himalayan region span multiple boundaries, it is often important to promote scientific understanding of this fragile ecosystem. This collaboration can facilitate the implementation of sustainable measures and best practices for the preservation of glaciers, encouraging transboundary cooperation, knowledge-sharing, innovative approaches, and financing efforts.
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Reference
Economic Times. (2024). GLOF early warning system takes off; centre targets 188 critical glacial lakes. May 02. Details available at https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/glof-early-warning-system-takes-off-centre-targets-188-critical-glacial-lake/articleshow/109780863.cms?from=mdr
ICIMOD. (2023). Water, Ice, Society, and Ecosystems in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: An outlook. (P. Wester, S. Chaudhary, N. Chettri, M. Jackson, A. Maharjan, S. Nepal, & J. F. Steiner [Eds.]). ICIMOD. Details available at https://hkh.icimod.org/hi-wise/hi-wise-report/
IPCC. (2019). Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. Details available at https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc//
Press Information Bureau. (2024). Impact of glacial lake outburst floods. August 8. Details available at https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2042990®=3&lang=1
Rajya Sabha (2023). Rajya Sabha unstarred question no-32 answered on – 20/07/2023, Steps to preserve the Himalayan glaciers. Details available at https://moes.gov.in/sites/default/files/rs-in-32-27-07-2023.pdf
United Nations. 2025. International Conference on Glaciers' Preservation – 2025. Details available at https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/international-conference-glaciers-preservation-2025
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