2°C Global Temperature Rise Could Melt 75% of Hindu Kush Himalayan Glaciers: Report

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The study highlights that limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as per the 2015 Paris Agreement, could help preserve glacier ice across all Himalayan regions
A new scientific study warns that a 2°C rise in global temperature could melt up to 75% of the Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers by the century's end. These glaciers feed rivers that sustain nearly two billion people. Published in the journal Science, the study underscores the grave impact of climate change on one of the world's most vital water sources.
The study indicates that if countries manage to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, 40-45 percent of the ice in the glaciers of the Himalayas and the Caucasus Mountains could be preserved. Conversely, if the global temperature rises by 2.7 degrees Celsius by the century's end, only one-fourth of the world's glacier ice would remain.
The study further highlights that the most significant glacier regions for human communities, such as the European Alps, the mountain ranges of the western US and Canada, and Iceland, would be severely affected. At a two degrees Celsius increase, these regions could lose almost all their ice, with only 10-15 percent remaining at 2020 levels.
The Scandinavian mountains face an even graver threat, as no ice would be left on their glaciers at this temperature level.
The study underscores that adhering to the 1.5 degree Celsius target set by the 2015 Paris Agreement would help preserve some glacier ice across all regions. The melting of glaciers poses a significant risk of submerging the world's plains.
In response to this pressing issue, world leaders are gathering in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, for the first United Nations Conference on Glaciers starting on Friday. More than 50 countries are participating, including ministerial or high-level officials from 30 countries.
Asian Development Bank Vice President Yingming Yang stated in Dushanbe, 'Melting glaciers are threatening life on an unprecedented scale, impacting the livelihoods of more than two billion people in Asia. Adopting clean energy to reduce emissions that warm the planet is the most effective way to slow the melting of glaciers."
Dr. Harry Jekolaari, co-lead author of the study at Vrije University Brussel, emphasised, 'Our study has made it clear that even a slight increase in temperature matters. The choices we make today will have an impact for centuries and will determine how much of our glaciers can be preserved."
First Published:
May 30, 2025, 18:57 IST