News

Himalayan Glaciers Will Shrink Despite Steady Climate

20.11.2012

Some glaciers of the Himalayas will continue shrinking for many years to come, even if temperatures hold steady, a Brigham Young University geology professor, Summer Rupert, has predicted. Rupper’s most conservative findings indicate that even if climate remained steady, almost 10 percent of Bhutan’s glaciers will vanish within the next few decades. In addition, the amount of melt water coming off these glaciers could drop by 30 percent. If glaciers continue to lose more water than they gain, the combination of more rain and glacial melt will increase the probability of flooding — which can be devastating to neighbouring villages. “Much of the world’s population is just downstream of the Himalayas. A lot of culture and history could be lost, not just in Bhutan, but also in the many neighbouring nations facing the same risks,” Rupper pointed out. Rupper’s forecasts and fieldwork are among the first to look at glaciers in Bhutan, and the government hopes to use her research to make long-term decisions about the nation’s water resources and flooding hazards.

Photo (c) Rajesh / Flickr