Hindu Kush Himalaya could lose 75% of ice by century's end under current climate policies: Study
If countries can limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the study published in the journal Science said 40-45 per cent of glacier ice in the Himalayas and the Caucasus would be preserved.
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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Half the world faced an extra month of extreme heat due to climate change: Study
Half the world faced an extra month of extreme heat due to climate change: Study (Photo: AFP) Half the global population endured an additional month of extreme heat over the past year because of manmade climate change , a new study found Friday. The findings underscore how the continued burning of fossil fuels is harming health and well-being on every continent, with the effects especially under-recognized in developing countries, the authors said. "With every barrel of oil burned, every tonne of carbon dioxide released, and every fraction of a degree of warming, heat waves will affect more people," said Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London and co-author of the report. The analysis -- conducted by scientists at World Weather Attribution, Climate Central, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre -- was released ahead of global Heat Action Day on June 2, which this year spotlights the dangers of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo To assess the influence of global warming , researchers analyzed the period from May 1, 2024 to May 1, 2025. They defined "extreme heat days" as those hotter than 90 percent of temperatures recorded at a given location between 1991 and 2020. Using a peer-reviewed modeling approach, they then compared the number of such days to a simulated world without human-caused warming. The results were stark: roughly four billion people, 49 percent of the global population, experienced at least 30 more days of extreme heat than they would have otherwise. The team identified 67 extreme heat events during the year and found the fingerprint of climate change on all of them. The Caribbean island of Aruba was the worst affected, recording 187 extreme heat days -- 45 more than expected in a world without climate change. The study follows a year of unprecedented global temperatures. 2024 was the hottest year on record, surpassing 2023, while January 2025 marked the hottest January ever. On a five-year average, global temperatures are now 1.3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels -- and in 2024 alone, they exceeded 1.5C, the symbolic ceiling set by the Paris climate accord. The report also highlights a critical lack of data on heat-related health impacts in lower-income regions. While Europe recorded more than 61,000 heat-related deaths in the summer of 2022, comparable figures are sparse elsewhere, with many heat-related fatalities misattributed to underlying conditions such as heart or lung disease. The authors emphasized the need for early warning systems, public education, and heat action plans tailored to cities. Better building design -- including shading and ventilation -- and behavioral adjustments like avoiding strenuous activity during peak heat are also essential. Still, adaptation alone will not be enough. The only way to halt the rising severity and frequency of extreme heat, the authors warned, is to rapidly phase out fossil fuels.
India.com
a day ago
- India.com
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.
News18
a day ago
- News18
2°C Global Temperature Rise Could Melt 75% of Hindu Kush Himalayan Glaciers: Report
Last Updated: 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
