Kathmandu, March 21, 2025 - A groundbreaking report by the United Nations, World Water Development Report 2025: Mountains, Glaciers, and Water Towers, has revealed that climate change and unsustainable human activities are causing unprecedented transformations in mountains and glaciers, posing a severe threat to freshwater access for over two billion people worldwide.
Mountains, often referred to as the “water towers of the world,” contribute between 55-60% of annual global freshwater flows. This contribution can reach up to 90% in certain regions, making them vital for sustaining ecosystems and human livelihoods. Currently, about 10% of the Earth's surface is covered by 200,000 glaciers, which store nearly 70% of the planet’s freshwater.
However, the acceleration of glacier and snowpack melt has led to significant changes in water flow. While glacier-fed rivers initially experience an increase in flow due to snowmelt, they eventually surpass a ‘peak water’ threshold, after which the flow begins to decline. The report confirms that this critical point has already been reached in the glacial-fed rivers of the tropical Andes, western Canada, and the Swiss Alps.
Alarming Trends in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
The Hindu Kush Himalaya region is experiencing glacier melt at rates faster than the global average. The report predicts that under global warming scenarios of 1.5-2°C, the glacier volume in the region could decline by 30-50% by 2100. This region is also particularly vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), with over 60 such events recorded between 2010 and 2020. A 2023 GLOF in South Lhonak Lake, Sikkim, India, highlighted the dangers of thawing permafrost, which exacerbates these events.
By the end of the century, the frequency of GLOFs in the Hindu Kush region is expected to triple, with consequences that exceed the limits of current adaptation measures. Indigenous and local communities, whose lives and livelihoods are intertwined with these environments, are already bearing the brunt of these changes.
Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa, a cryosphere analyst at ICIMOD, emphasized the human cost of glacier loss, stating, “Glaciers are the most visible and vivid indicators of a planet in crisis. Their loss signifies the loss of life, livelihoods, and places communities have called home for generations.”
Call for Global Action
Dr. James Kirkham, a glaciologist at the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative, underscored the need for multilateral cooperation and long-term political leadership to address the crisis. He expressed hope that the UN’s focus on glaciers in 2025 would catalyze global action.
As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, the report serves as a stark reminder of the need for urgent and sustainable solutions to protect the planet’s vital water resources.
