By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 10: Scientists from around the world have assessed the planet’s 78 mountain glacier, based water systems and, for the first time, ranked them in order of their importance to adjacent lowland communities, as well as their vulnerability to future environmental and socioeconomic changes.
These systems, known as mountain water towers, store and transport water via glaciers, snow packs, lakes and streams, thereby supplying invaluable water resources to 1.9 billion people globally, roughly a quarter of the world’s population.
The research, published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature, provides evidence that global water towers are at risk, in many cases critically, due to the threats of climate change, growing populations, mismanagement of water resources, and other geopolitical factors.
Further, the authors concluded that it was essential to develop international, mountain-specific conservation and climate change adaptation policies and strategies to safeguard both ecosystems and people downstream.
The study, which was authored by 32 scientists from around the world, was led by Prof. Walter Immerzeel and Dr. Arthur Lutz of Utrecht University, longtime researchers of water and climate change in high mountain Asia.
Arun B. Shrestha, who leads the River Basins and Cryosphere Programme at International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), as well as co-author of the report, said “Taking forward the findings of the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment report, this study showcases the vulnerability of river basins that are fed by mountain catchments.”
The study has found the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) river basins to be increasingly vulnerable, and implies the need of global attention to build resilience in these basins.”
Likewise, Santosh Nepal, water and climate specialist at ICIMOD, and also a co-author highlighted, “Four out of the five most relied-upon and vulnerable water towers in all of Asia are located in the HKH region.”