Mount Everest is melting – can Asia survive without glaciers?

Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, is part of Asia’s crucial water system. The glaciers covering it, which feed major rivers like the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus, have supplied water to millions for centuries. Rising global temperatures have significantly accelerated their melting process, posing a serious threat to water resources in South and Southeast Asian countries. What risks does the loss of these icy reservoirs bring?

Mount Everest – the world’s highest peak

Mount Everest, also known as Chomolungma (Mother Goddess of the Earth or Holy Mother), stands 8,848.86 meters above sea level, straddling the border between Nepal and Tibet, and is the highest peak on Earth. As part of the Himalayas, this mountain range is a component of a complex geographical system with a crucial hydrological role. The region’s cryosphere is essential for water and food security for nearly 2 billion people in Asia.

The Himalayas, often referred to as the Third Pole, store ice masses comparable to those in Antarctica and the Arctic, serving as the water source for rivers that support the ecosystems of South and Southeast Asia. The glaciers covering Everest are highly sensitive to climate change, putting their future at risk.

Climate change and glacier melting rate

The melting rate of glaciers on Mount Everest and throughout the Himalayas has sharply increased in recent decades, directly resulting from global warming. The rise in temperature observed since the 1970s has accelerated the rate of glacier mass loss. According to the study Observed changes in Himalayan glaciers, the average melting rate has nearly doubled—from about 0.25 meters of annual thickness loss from 1975 to 2000 to around 0.5 meters per year since 2000.

Glaciers on Mount Everest play a vital role as natural reservoirs, supplying water to rivers like the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus. These vast river systems provide water to India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh—countries inhabited by hundreds of millions of people. Glacier water from Everest and the Himalayas is not only essential for drinking water supplies but also supports agriculture, industry, and hydropower production.

Consequences of glacier melting

In the short term, intense glacier melting leads to increased river flow, which can trigger floods downstream. One such example is the 2013 flood in Uttarakhand, India, where rapidly melting glaciers caused catastrophic impacts. These events led to the deaths of over 5,700 people, with thousands reported missing.

However, in the long term, as most glaciers disappear, river flows may drastically decrease, directly impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of people dependent on these resources.

Will Mount Everest’s glaciers survive?

The survival of Mount Everest’s glaciers is uncertain, especially in light of the rapid rise in global temperatures. Scientists predict that the Himalayas could lose up to two-thirds of their ice mass by the end of the 21st century if the world doesn’t curb greenhouse gas emissions. These ice masses serve not only as natural water reservoirs but also as regulators of seasonal water flow in the region. Their disappearance would permanently alter water availability, destabilizing local agriculture, energy production, and drinking water sources.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and other research institutions point out that the loss of glaciers will have a profound impact on the region’s geopolitics, as water resources become an increasingly valuable but scarce asset. Facing these challenges, technological and financial support for mountain communities is essential, along with developing adaptive strategies to help adjust to the changing environment.

Main photo: Ankit Mishra / Unsplash