Mountains Sans Snow

Over the past few years, the country has been witnessing changes in rainfall and snowfall patterns due to the effects of climate change. Winter is becoming drier. Last year, too, there was hardly any rainfall during the winter. The High Himalayan region is experiencing a significant drop in snowfall even in the winter season, the time of the year when mountains should be gleaming with snow. 

At the same time, the glaciers are melting at an alarming rate. Thame region experienced a major glacial lake outburst in August 2024, and many glacial lakes are at a similar risk. Most of the snow-covered mountains, the lifeline of the Himalaya ecosystem, have begun to appear bare and rocky owing to the new climatic phenomenon known as ‘snow drought’.  

The snow-covered mountains standing in the north are the source of water for most of the perennial rivers in South Asia, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus. They are the major sources of fresh water for over a billion people across Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Pakistan. Nepal has not seen any rainfall since October, and it seems most likely that the rest of the winter, too, will be dry. 

As per the ICIMOD’s report for the past five winters, between 2020 and 2025, the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region saw below-average snow persistence. Snowfall has dropped in the Himalayan region at an alarming rate, which is very likely to cause a dearth of fresh drinking water, crop failure and food insecurity in the South Asian countries in the near future.

Snow drought in the Himalayan region during winter affects the fragile ecology of the mountain region and the livelihood of the people. At the same time, if the snow-covered mountain ranges, a major attraction for tourists and the source of income for the country, are devoid of snow, it will hit the mountaineering and tourism sectors hard. Our agriculture, energy, water resources and tourism sectors are intrinsically dependent on the health of our Himalayas.

Last year, Nepal hosted Sagarmatha Sambad. The three-day conference issued the 25-point Sagarmatha Call for Action. Nepal has pushed climate diplomacy to remind the global community about the impacts of climate change that a mountainous country like Nepal is bearing. 

Nepal is facing the consequences of global warming, despite the fact that its contribution to generating greenhouse emissions is negligible. This paradoxical reality should be a crucial factor for the international community to show its moral obligation towards preserving the shiny Himalayas, also the jewel of nature. 

Obviously, there is a need for climate financing and global cooperation to address the disproportionate impact of climate change in the Himalayan region. The funding should be made available and accessible to meet the needs of those affected by the climate-induced crises. Nepal signed the Carbon Trade Agreement with the World Bank on February 24, 2021, for six years. Developed countries, the major carbon emitters, should support vulnerable countries like ours. 

Through climate finance, we can develop adaptation measures, develop more resilient infrastructure, invest in research, and a community-based adaptation programme. A collaborative effort from global, regional and community levels is imperative to fight this fast-developing crisis that has posed an existential threat to our planet.