A recent United Nations report highlights the growing threat to Himalayan pastoral livelihoods due to the rapid melting of glaciers. The accelerated glacier loss has reduced the quality of pastures, impacting livestock grazing and pastoral communities. Additionally, the melting has led to increased flooding and destruction downstream, posing further challenges to those relying on natural water resources.
The report, released as part of the 2025 World Water Development Report on World Glacier Day, warns that water scarcity along traditional migration routes is worsening. It also notes the expansion of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, forcing herders to alter their seasonal movement patterns. This disruption could lead to future political tensions among neighboring riparian countries, exacerbating regional conflicts.
Moreover, the report points out that the past six years have seen the most rapid glacier retreat on record, with 2022-2024 marking the highest glacier mass loss. A separate study by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) found that Himalayan glaciers melted 65% faster in the 2010s compared to the 2000s. As glaciers store about 70% of global freshwater resources, their depletion threatens the water supply for millions of people downstream. Despite these challenges, Ladakh’s communities have developed innovative solutions like ice reservoirs to adapt to water scarcity caused by glacier melt.
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