The Himalayas are nearing a tipping point with glaciers melting faster than a decade ago, threatening water security as the region approaches “peak water” by mid-century, according to a study released this month.
The study found that as glaciers retreat, they leave behind unstable glacial lakes with little rock and ice, above valleys where millions of people live.
The study was produced by Systemiq, a sustainability consultancy, in collaboration with the Integrated Mountains Initiative, the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, and the J.B. Pant National Himalayan Environment Institute in India.
The study found that the loss of mass of glaciers in the Himalayas has accelerated in recent decades, while only 21 glaciers are currently observed on Earth out of an estimated 40,000 glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalayas.
