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Context:

On May 12, 2025, two granite plaques containing words from respected authors Manjushree Thapa and Andri Snaer Magnason were placed near the rapidly melting Yala Glacier in Nepal's Langtang Valley, paying honor to one of the Himalaya's most researched and endangered glaciers.

Features of Yala Glacier

• The Yala Glacier is situated in the Langtang Valley of central Nepal and is affected by the Indian summer monsoon.
• This glacier is among the most extensively researched in Nepal and is included in the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) database, representing the Hindu Kush Himalayan area.
• The glacier has been observed for more than ten years through the use of stakes, snow pits, and satellite imagery, yielding essential data on the condition of Himalayan glaciers.
• It is the sole glacier in the Himalayas featured in the Global Glacier Casualty List, highlighting its precarious condition.
• It is essential for examining the cryosphere, a crucial water supply that sustains 240 million individuals in the Himalayan region.

Retreat of Yala Glacier

Various Glaciers That Are Critically Endangered

• In 2024, the Pico Humboldt Glacier vanished from Venezuela.
• Glacier Sarenne: Vanished in 2023 in France.
• Dagu Glacier: It is anticipated that the glacier will vanish by 2030 in China.
• Chinese Glacier Shrinkage: The total area of Chinese glaciers has decreased by 12,442.4 sq km, which is a 20.6% reduction.

Global Glacier Casualty List

• Launch: The project was launched in 2024.
• Main Collaborators: Rice University, University of Iceland, Iceland Glaciological Society, and UNESCO.
• Purpose: To track the status of glaciers worldwide and raise awareness about their decline.

Impact of Melting Glaciers

Disruption of Ecosystem & Livelihoods

- Glaciers and ice sheets store ~70% of global freshwater.

- Essential for ecosystems and human sustenance.

- Example: ~240 million people in Hindu Kush Himalaya depend on the cryosphere.

Increased Risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs)

- Rapid glacier melt forms unstable glacial lakes.

- Risk of breaches leading to catastrophic floods.

Climate Feedback Loop

- Melting glaciers reduce Earth's albedo (reflectivity).

- Increases heat absorption and accelerates global warming.

Source: Down to earth