40% Himalayan Ice Lost, 75% May Disappear by 2100: Report

The Himalayas have the world’s third-largest deposit of ice and snow. The State of India’s Environment 2024 report states that 40 per cent of Himalayan ice is already lost and up to 75 per cent more could disappear by the end of this century.

According to the State of India’s Environment 2024 report, the Himalayan region has suffered 44 per cent of India’s natural disasters from 2013 to 2022 in the form of floods, landslides, and thunderstorms. This hints at the environmental crisis in the region.

The rapid rise in surface temperature is reported to have led to the accelerated glacier melt in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, with a reported rate of 65 per cent.

Environmental changes in the Himalayas will affect the populace in Asia, who heavily depend on the water sourced from the Himalayan glaciers.

Around 90 per cent of Himalayan agriculture relies on rainfall, so the future sustainability of livelihoods in the region will be at stake.

The Himalayas are also experiencing a decline in permafrost, the permanently frozen region, particularly in the western region, where approximately 8,340 square kilometres were lost between 2002-04 and 2018-20.