The snow and ice of the Himalayas are a vital source of water for the 240 million people living in mountainous areas and for the 1.65 billion people living in the valleys of several countries

Communities in India, Afghanistan and Pakistan depend on melting Himalayan snow for their water supply. However, because of reduced snowfall, they face a “very serious” risk of water shortage, warns a report published on Monday 17 June by scientists from the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (Icimod).

According to the Icimod, which has been monitoring snow cover in the region for more than 20 years, “this year’s snow cover (18.5% below normal) is the second lowest in the last 22 years, after the record 19% set in 2018,” Sher Muhammad, author of the report, told AFP. “Reduced snowpack and fluctuating snowpack levels significantly increase the risk of water scarcity, particularly this year,” he stressed, calling it “a wake-up call for researchers, policymakers and downstream communities.”

A quarter of the flow in 12 major river basins depends on snow

The snow and ice of the Himalayas provide an essential source of water for the 240 million people living in the mountains and the 1.65 billion people living in the valleys of several countries, according to the Icimod. In this region, snowmelt accounts for around a quarter of the total flow in 12 major river basins that have their source at altitude, according to the report.

For example, the Ganges basin, which flows through India, recorded “the lowest persistence of snow” ever observed by the Icimod, i.e. 17% less than the average. In 2023, the Icimod had already warned about the situation down in the Himalayas, demonstrating in a report that, as a result of climate change caused by human activities, glaciers had melted 65% faster between 2011 and 2020 than during the previous decade.

Since the 19th century, the Earth’s average temperature has risen by 1.1°C. Scientists have established with certainty that this increase is due to human activities, which consume fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas). This rapid warming threatens the future of our societies and biodiversity. But solutions do exist, such as renewable energies, energy sobriety and reducing meat consumption.