The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) responded to a series of shocking reports from the United Nations agencies, confirming that many glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) region will not be able to survive in the 21st century. The reports, published on the first-ever UN World Glacier Day, highlighted the catastrophic consequences of glacier melting on the region’s water, food, energy and livelihood security, and the ripple effect is felt in Asia and beyond.

According to discoveries from UN Water, UNESCO, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), HKH glaciers are often referred to as the “third pole” due to their extensive ice reserves – melting at an unprecedented rate. In the past six years, there has been the fastest glacier retreat on record in five years. Experts warn that this rapid melting will lead to extreme weather events, water shortages, food insecurity, ecosystem disruptions and even geopolitical conflicts.

Real-time crisis

ICIMOD Director-General Pema Gyamtsho said the reports sent a clear warning to global leaders. “These reports are a note to anyone who believes they are protected from catastrophic snowfall and ice loss, and global warming is releasing the Earth’s mountains,” he said. “As much as 60% of fresh water in the world comes from mountains and we are all in the downstream.”

The United Nations Water Report, Mountains and Glaciers: Water Towers, noted that water resources from Dutch areas are “literally melting before our eyes”. The loss of glaciers threatens the stability of 10 major transboundary river basins, including the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra, which together support nearly 2 billion people.

In the short term, melting glaciers will increase the increase in rivers, causing the risk of flooding and glacial lake outbreaks, but the long-term consequences are terrible. As glaciers retreat faster from 2050, the report predicts severe droughts, water shortages, and major damage to agricultural and hydropower systems.
Among the rivers most affected by puck changes, the Indus relies on glaciers and 70% of the rivers that melt snow. Icimod’s river director Faisal Mueen Qamer warned that changes in Pakistan’s 13,000 glaciers are already affecting agriculture, industry and energy production. “The Indus River is often referred to as the lifeline of Pakistan. Changes in the upper glaciers are already changing the availability of water, thus making better data collection and climate diplomacy crucial,” he said.
Sher Muhammad, a remote sensing expert at Icimod, stressed that the reduction in snowfall in Dutch areas poses a major threat to food and water safety. “Snowfall is getting heavier, especially for communities that rely directly on snow melt,” he said. “This requires urgent intervention and proper management plans to offset future water pressure.”

Icimod urges world leaders to take immediate action to reduce carbon emissions and invest in climate adaptation strategies to limit the worst effects of glacier melting. “The safety of billions of people, including some of the most vulnerable, depends on emission reduction and regional cooperation,” Gyamtsho stressed.
The organization advocates for increased climate financing in mountainous areas, improved water management, and cross-border cooperation among countries. Without emergency intervention, experts warn that rapid losses of glaciers will trigger cascading crises (floods, droughts, economic unrest and forced immigration) affecting millions throughout Asia and beyond.

As the climate crisis accelerates, ICIMOD’s message is clear: the time for action is already there. Without rapid and coordinated global efforts, the melting of HKH glaciers will have irreversible consequences for people, economies and ecosystems around the world.