{"id":15650,"date":"2021-06-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/12-06-2021\/glacier-melting-in-hindu-kush\/"},"modified":"2024-03-21T17:53:52","modified_gmt":"2024-03-21T12:23:52","slug":"glacier-melting-in-hindu-kush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/12-06-2021\/glacier-melting-in-hindu-kush","title":{"rendered":"Glacier Melting in Hindu Kush"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">According to a recent United Nations-backed research, up to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>two billion people in southeast Asia <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">can face <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>food and water shortages<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> even as the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Hindu Kush Himalayan<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (HKH) mountain ranges<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> lose up to two-thirds of its ice by 2100<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About Hindu Kush Himalayan Region<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is often referred to as the \u2018<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Third Pole<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2019 and is spread over <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>3,500 square kilometres<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>across eight countries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> including <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nepal <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>China<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It contains the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> world\u2019s third-largest storage of frozen water<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> after <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Antarctica <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Arctic<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Over <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>240 million <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">people live in the region\u2019s<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> mountains<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1.7 billion<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> live in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>river basins downstream<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, while <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>food grown<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in these basins <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>reaches three billion people<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Its glaciers <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>feed at least 10 major river systems<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, which have bearings on agricultural activities, drinking water and hydroelectricity production in the region.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"height: 469px; width: 624px;\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/5-6_M0dNcFr6eIfrqpr9PBMYqgPGfODVNrF9xFMdNaAgdiVMjpZW0GK1IYS7kY_Wz_epWj_pcoZurQ7xGTNrJ-0khdw5Fjy7cj165zbabq-iu_q7wIBmdDkUHWig7zS6MSy3blIK\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Image Courtesy: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grida.no\/resources\/12806\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>GRIDA<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"height: 320px; width: 624px;\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/iH_KF8DuUm0SQVEZSQxLk2MThOduGOnTrWNTfUJLypoWsTBIibJwBKJfNApE8KLwU2tM3MCH54XhaN7-SKwUsvb21RpL0tQ_osOG5SDDMn6s-FlI1nf1zHrO_yhtH2Y_oxxjrVd4\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"height: 184px; width: 624px;\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/RVo6l7JXLmMJCYlmiQlMcFqTfX-Y7EtmRpD9yHnfFsBDaAYUyLFUbneNjS0J7hDTTH91UPIRt8pgOMprLnDdgnttT-H-VGxHdwdH6Gnhz8IV4w4ZnQgBl5bMfYtnEQxfkBDhD6b1\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Image Courtesy: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/economictimes.indiatimes.com\/news\/science\/hindu-kush-himalaya-assessment-icimod-report\/articleshow\/67919827.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>ET<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Glacier<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>big body of ice that is created from falling and accumulated snow<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> over a period of time.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They get created in areas where the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>temperatures are exceedingly low<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, including areas that are at sea level and mostly in high altitude areas like the mountain tops.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Reasons for Melting<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Climate change<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, which is altering the patterns of temperature and precipitation and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>larger anthropogenic modifications<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of the atmosphere.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Deposits of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>anthropogenic <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong>Black Carbon<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> (BC)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, which increase the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>glaciers\u2019 absorption of solar radiation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and raise air temperatures.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Recent evidence suggests that it is <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>responsible for more than 50 per cent <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of the accelerating glacier and snow melt.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The HKH region <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>lies downwind from some of the most heavily polluted places<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> on Earth, which threatens agriculture, climate as well as monsoon patterns.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Concerns Highlighted<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> HKH region continues to warm<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> through the 21<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><sup>st<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> century even if the world was able to limit global warming at the agreed 1.5 degrees Celsius.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In the future, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>even if global warming is kept to 1.5 degrees Celsius<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> above the pre-industrialisation levels, warming in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>HKH region is likely to be at least 0.3 degrees Celsius higher <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and in the northwest Himalaya and Karakoram at least 0.7 degrees Celsius higher.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">On the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>ice thickness of glaciers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, it was estimated that glaciers in the HKH <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>may contain 27 per cent less ice<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> than previously suggested.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In the best-case scenarios, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>High Mountain Asia<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (the Asian mountain ranges surrounding the Tibetan Plateau) will <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>lose a substantial part of its cryosphere<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the next decades and thus a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> substantial part of its water storage abilities<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, which will lead to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>increased water stress<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in high mountain areas.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Cryosphere<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: It comprises portions of Earth\u2019s surface where water is in solid form, including sea ice, lake ice, river ice, snow cover, glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Melting glaciers and the loss of seasonal snow pose <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>significant risks to the stability of water resources<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in South Asia.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The glacier melt <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>contributes to disasters<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> such as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong>flash floods<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>landslides<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>soil erosion<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Glacial bursts<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, with mountain communities especially vulnerable to such disasters.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Flash Floods: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These are highly localized events of short duration with a very high peak and usually have less than six hours between the occurrence of the rainfall and peak flood.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The flood situation worsens in the presence of choked drainage lines or encroachments obstructing the natural flow of water.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Glacial Burst:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> When glaciers retreat, they leave a space which becomes a glacial lake being filled with water. When such a lake breaches, it is known as Glacial Burst or Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The melting and thinning of glaciers may also <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>affect hydropower production<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, which is a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> key source of renewable energy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for the region.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Potential damage to other sectors <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">including the infrastructure and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>adversely affect <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">the larger <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>tourism<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> industry.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Recommendations\/Suggestions<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The report recommended <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>shifting away from fossil fuel use<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in energy, transport, and other sectors.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It also suggests <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>changing diets<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>agricultural practices<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to move to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> countries in the region<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> need to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>reduce emissions of black carbon<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>other air pollutants<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> as well.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Farmers <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">will need support to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>design and invest in locally-appropriate water storage solutions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, or to shift to agricultural practices that consume less water.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Designs of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>new hydropower plants and grids<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> will need to take into account the changing climate and water availability.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Improvement in the data and information<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, capacity-building and early warning systems and infrastructure design, which calls for sufficient <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>funding and large-scale coordination<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/news\/climate-change\/glacier-melting-in-hindu-kush-2-billion-people-may-face-food-water-shortage-by-2100-77356\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>DTE<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In News According to a recent United Nations-backed research, up to two billion people in southeast Asia can face food and water shortages even as the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) mountain ranges lose up to two-thirds of its ice by 2100. About Hindu Kush Himalayan Region It is often referred to as the \u2018Third Pole\u2019 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15651,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[128,156,61,60,26,25,42,44],"class_list":["post-15650","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-changes-in-geographical-features-their-effects","tag-distribution-of-natural-resources","tag-environmental-impact-assessment","tag-environmental-pollution-degradation","tag-gs-3","tag-gs1","tag-literature","tag-physical-geography"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/114788HOD current-affairs.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15650"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15650\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22869,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15650\/revisions\/22869"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}