Kathmandu: In an alarming revelation, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared on Monday that Nepal’s majestic snow-capped mountains have lost nearly one-third of their glacial ice. His visit to the Everest region in Nepal underscored the devastating effects of climate change and the urgent need for action.
“The rooftops of the world are caving in,” Guterres remarked, addressing the dire situation in Nepal, where rapidly melting glaciers are having a profound impact. These glaciers, situated in the Himalayas, are vital icy reservoirs that provide freshwater to over a billion people. As they diminish, so do river flows, significantly affecting the lives of the population that depends on them.
Guterres, who visited the Solukhumbu region during a four-day trip to Nepal, reported that glaciers in Nepal, positioned between two major carbon-emitting nations, India and China, have melted 65 percent faster in the last decade compared to the previous one. In a video message, he shared this alarming statistic and highlighted the importance of taking immediate action to address this climate crisis.
The broader Himalayan and Hindu Kush mountain ranges are home to glaciers that serve as a crucial water source for approximately 240 million people living in mountainous regions and another 1.65 billion people residing in the river valleys of South Asia and Southeast Asia. Scientists have repeatedly warned that these glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate due to the effects of climate change. This rapid retreat has the potential to expose communities to unpredictable and costly disasters.
Addressing the world from the village of Syangboche, Guterres issued a passionate plea, stating, “I am here today to cry out from the rooftop of the world: stop the madness.” He emphasized the urgent need to halt the fossil fuel age and act promptly to protect those on the frontlines of climate change. The UN Chief called for global efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius to avert the most catastrophic consequences of climate chaos.
Guterres drew attention to the disastrous effects of glacier melt, including swollen lakes and rivers leading to destructive floods that have the potential to obliterate entire communities. His message carried a strong warning, stating that glaciers will eventually vanish unless immediate action is taken.
He underlined the consequences for major Himalayan rivers, such as the Indus, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra, which could experience significantly reduced water flows in the future. Climate scientists note that while the Earth’s average temperature has increased by approximately 0.74 degrees Celsius over the last century, the rate of warming in South Asia’s Himalayan region has surpassed global averages.
The UN Secretary-General’s visit to Nepal emphasized the need for swift and decisive action to address the alarming decline of the world’s glaciers and the devastating consequences this trend holds for the communities that rely on them for their survival.
