Peak Water: A Flow U-Turn, Pg II

Key Highlights:

• Himalayan glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate, leading to the region approaching "peak water" by mid-century.
• A recent glacier collapse in late August on the Nepal-Tibet border caused over 1,300 confirmed deaths and 5,300 missing.
• The study highlights the formation of unstable glacial lakes, posing a significant threat to downstream populations.
• Peak water refers to the point when river flows, fed by glaciers, stop rising and begin to decline.
• The Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region is critical, underpinning more than 20% of India’s GDP.
• The study was a collaborative effort by Systemiq, Integrated Mountain Initiative, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), and G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment.

Himalayas at Risk.jpg

Detailed Insights:

• The accelerated glacier melt in the Himalayas is projected to cause peak water by mid-century, impacting water security.
• The August glacier collapse led to cascading landslides and flash floods in valleys across Nepal and China's Tibet region.
• Retreating glaciers leave behind unstable glacial lakes, increasing the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
• The Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region is a vast mountain system spanning eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
• Out of an estimated 40,000 glaciers in the HKH region, only 21 are currently monitored on the ground.
• Despite comprising about 18% of India's land area, the Himalayan region accounts for approximately 35% of the country's natural disasters.
• ICIMOD is an intergovernmental learning and knowledge-sharing center working for sustainable mountain development in the HKH region.
• G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment is an autonomous research institute under India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Peak water: The point in time when river flows, primarily fed by glacial melt, reach their maximum and subsequently begin to decrease.
• Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF): A sudden and rapid release of a large volume of water from a glacial lake, often caused by the failure of a natural dam.
• Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region: A vast mountain range system in Asia, often referred to as the "Third Pole" due to its extensive ice and snow reserves.