Report examines potential impacts of glacial change in Himalayas

Abstract

Glaciers appear to be retreating at accelerating rates in the eastern and central regions of the Himalayas, although in the western Himalayas they appear to be more stable and may be advancing, according to a 12 September report by a committee of the U.S. National Research Council that examines climate change, water resources, and water security issues in the region. The report highlights several themes in considering the link between people and the environment within the context of water security in the Hindu Kush‐Himalayan (HKH) region. Among the themes are that there is significant variability in climate, hydrology, and glacier behavior within HKH that makes it difficult to generalize observations and findings across the region and that there is also variability in demographics and water use patterns. Other themes in the report are that uncertainties exist in the region's physical and social systems, including the effect of increased urbanization and changes in standards of living; improved monitoring of physical and social systems is needed to reduce and respond to uncertainty; and improved water management and hazard mitigation systems are the most compelling needs. For more information, see http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13449.