BIG trouble for Pakistan amid India's suspension of Indus Water Treaty as glaciers in Hindu Kush to..., will create water crisis in...
India recently suspended the Indus Water Treaty and the melting of glaciers in the Hindu Kush will further deepen the water crisis in the enemy country. (File/Representational)
Following the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by India following the heinous April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan may be staring at a severe water crisis in the near future as more than 75 percent of glacial ice in the Hindu Kush mountains is expected to melt away by the end of this century.
According to a study published in the 'Science' journal. glaciers in the Hindu Kush — an 800-kilometre-long mountain range that stretches from Central and South Asia to the west of the Himalayas– are at risk of losing 75 percent of its glaciers in the 70-80 years if global temperatures rise by 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels.
The Hindu Kush mountains are a key source of water for nearly two billion people in countries such as India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Bangladesh as some of the world's largest rivers flow through this mountain range. But the news is especially troubling for Pakistan due to India recently holding the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, which has already affected water flow in the enemy country. Water crisis to hit entire Asia
As per the study, the melting of glacial ice in the Hindu Kush would have far-reaching consequences such as creating a water crisis of unprecedented levels across all of Asia. The study estimates that the Himalayas and Caucasus could retain 40-45% of their glacial ice if countries manage to limited the temperature rise 1.5 degrees Celsius as outlined in the Paris Agreement.
However, based on the current trajectory of a 2.7 degree Celsius temperature rise by the end of the century, these mountains, including the Hindu Kush, could lose up to 75-80 percent of their glacial mass, the study warns. Over 2 billion at risk
The study was published as the first UN Conference on Glaciers is underway in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where more than 50 countries are gathered to discuss and tackle the looming crisis. 'Melting glaciers are threatening lives on an unprecedented scale, including the lives and livelihoods of over 2 billion people in Asia. Switching to clean energy to reduce planet-warming emissions is the most effective way to slow down this phenomenon,' Yingming Yang, Vice-President, Asian Development Bank (ADB), said in his address at the UN conference.
According to the study, the researchers used eight glacier models to assess the fate of more than 200,000 glaciers around the world under different warming scenarios, and the results were frightening. The researches found that glacial mass will continue to decline at a rapid pace in the coming decades, even if global temperatures are stabilized.
The study warns that the long-term effects of this phenomenon will last for centuries to come and immediate measures need to taken to minimise the damage. 'Our study makes it abundantly clear that every fraction of a degree matters,' said co-lead author Dr Harry Zekkolaari.
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