Description

Copyright infringement not intended

PC: WWF

Context

According to a new study published in the journal Science, if global temperatures rise by 2.7°C due to existing climate policy, only 24% of the world's glaciers will remain.

What is Glaciers?

They are essentially enormous and thick chunks of ice that form on land as snow accumulates over decades.
They retain 70% of the Earth's freshwater and today cover approximately 10% of the planet's geographical area.

Impacts of Glaciers Loss

Issue	Impact	Affected Areas
Water Security in South Asia	Himalayan glaciers, key sources for major rivers, are depleting—threatening agriculture, drinking water, and hydroelectric power during dry seasons.	India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh
Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Risk	Glacier melt contributes to rising sea levels, posing risks to coastal cities and island nations.	Maldives, Coastal Indian cities (e.g., Mumbai, Chennai)
Ecosystem Disruption	Alters mountain biodiversity and alpine ecosystems; increases risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).	Himalayan region, downstream river basins
Socioeconomic Consequences	Water scarcity can lead to migration, resource conflicts, and worsening poverty in vulnerable communities.	South Asian rural and urban areas

Global Initiatives to Conserve Glaciers

The Paris Agreement of 2015 intends to restrict global warming to well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C, over pre-industrial levels.
High Mountain Summit (WMO): Recognizes mountains and glaciers as climate sentinels, encouraging early warning systems and improved data exchange.
The International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI), founded in 2009 as a result of COP-15, is a network of senior policy experts and academics who collaborate with governments and organizations.
It develops and implements projects aimed at preserving the Earth's cryosphere.
The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) is a government project designed to combat climate change and its effects on the Himalayan region.
It focuses on building sustainable solutions and tackling concerns like as glacier melt, natural disasters, and biodiversity loss.
The Arctic Council is a platform for Arctic countries to work together on environmental protection, sustainable development, and climate change mitigation in the Arctic.
Global Ice Monitoring Initiatives, such as the World Meteorological Organization's Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) and the European Space Agency's CryoSat project, employ satellite-based remote sensing to track glacier and ice sheet changes.

Source: Indian Express

Practice Question:

1. Which of the following rivers originate from the Himalayan glaciers?

Ganga
Yamuna
Godavari
Indus

Select the correct answer using the code below:
A) 1, 2 and 3
B) 1, 2 and 4
C) 2, 3 and 4
D) 1, 3 and 4

Answer: B) 1, 2 and 4

Explanation: Ganga (Gangotri Glacier), Yamuna (Yamunotri Glacier), and Indus (Siachen/Indus Glacier) originate from the Himalayas. Godavari originates from Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra.