US Edition
Published • loading... • Updated
Himalayan Glaciers Melting Twice as Fast as in 2000, ICIMOD Reports Find
ICIMOD's 50-year glacier study shows ice loss doubling since 2000, raising risks of floods and water insecurity for nearly two billion dependent on the Hindu Kush Himalayas.
- On Saturday, March 21, 2026, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development released HKH Glacier Outlook 2026, warning of water insecurity and flood risks for nearly two billion people.
- Exposure to elevation-dependent warming means around 78% of glacier area between 4,500 and 6,000 metres is at risk, while glaciers below 0.5 sq km shrink fastest, ICIMOD researchers say.
- Fifty years of field monitoring shows 302 annual observations from 38 representative glaciers since September 1974, with 270 negative mass-balance years and about 12% area loss and 9% ice-reserve loss between 1990 and 2020.
- ICIMOD leaders urge action as accelerated retreat increases hazards threatening downstream communities and infrastructure, citing disasters like the 2021 Chamoli event .
- Only seven glaciers meet WGMS benchmarks, so monitoring gaps remain, especially in Karakoram, Sikkim, Zanskar, and Bhutan, urging expanded efforts during the Decade for Cryospheric Sciences on World Glacier Monitoring Day.
Insights by Ground AI
23 Articles
23 Articles
Hindu Kush Himalaya Glaciers: A Rapid Retreat | Science-Environment
ICIMOD's reports reveal Hindu Kush Himalaya glaciers are melting rapidly, losing 12% of their area from 1990 to 2020. Ice loss rates have doubled since 2000, posing severe risks for local communities and major river systems. Improved monitoring and climate adaptation strategies are urgently needed to combat this escalating crisis.
·India
Read Full Article
Today's news: Washington suspends sanctions on Iranian oil while Tehran opens to passage Japanese ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Unaid deaths and dozens of wounds in a factory fire in Daejeon South Korea. The Himalayan glaciers are melting twice as fast as in 2000. Hong Kong still falls back in the global index of happiness.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources23
Leaning Left0Leaning Right5Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Right
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources lean Right
56% Right
C 44%
R 56%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
