Recently, the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (EFCC), addressed the Plenary Session of the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation, held from 29th – 31st May 2025, in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan.

• The Government of Tajikistan, in collaboration with UNESCO and WMO, organised the conference to highlight the vital role of glaciers in maintaining global ecological balance and addressing water-related challenges.

Why Glaciers are Important

• Global Water Resources: Glaciers are a major source of freshwater, providing water for drinking, agriculture, and industry.
  • Glaciers store ~69% of the world’s freshwater, and act as the primary source for major worlds rivers like the Ganga, Indus, and Brahmaputra.

• Water Security for Agriculture and Human Settlements: Glacial melt provides seasonal water flow essential for agriculture in the Indo-Gangetic plains.
  • Mass loss in the Bhaga basin (6–9 meter water equivalent from 2008–2021) raises concerns over long-term water scarcity for irrigation and drinking water in Himalayan-dependent regions.
• Disaster Regulation and Risk Generation: While glaciers regulate water flow, rapid melting increases disaster risk, especially Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), avalanches, and flash floods.
  • The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has initiated GLOF risk mapping and early warning systems to address these threats.
• Support to Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Glaciers and the surrounding landscapes are part of larger ecological networks, and their preservation helps maintain biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
  • Glaciers support diverse plant communities and pollinator networks, contributing to the overall stability of alpine ecosystems. Eg. Nandadevi National Park Uttarakhand.
• Climate Regulation: Glaciers play a vital role in the climate system, reflecting sunlight and regulating global temperatures.
• • As glaciers retreat, reduced reflectivity accelerates warming—a feedback loop noted in rising tropical Indian Ocean surface temperatures by 1°C (1951–2015).
• Scientific Records: Glaciers contain valuable information about past climates and environments, offering a unique archive of Earth’s history.
  • The Ohio State University’s, newly published research offers insights into how viruses have adapted to Earth’s shifting climate over the past 41,000 years.

Factors contributing Glaciers melting: 

• Climate Change: Rising global temperatures accelerate glacier melting, reducing their mass and extent.
  • UN reports indicate Himalayan glaciers may lose 30-50% of their mass by 2100 due to warming.
• Rising Air Pollution: Black carbon (soot) from industrial emissions, vehicles, and biomass burning settles on glaciers, lowering their albedo and increasing heat absorption, thus speeding up melting.
• • UNEP’s 2024 Report on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants highlighted black carbon as a key contributor to glacial melting in South Asia and Himalayas.
• Extreme Weather Patterns: Frequent heavy rainfall and heatwaves contribute to faster glacial melting.
  • Example: The 2025 Swiss flood occurred after days of warm, wet conditions—a pattern increasingly common in glaciated regions.
• Human Activities: Deforestation, urbanization, and tourism disrupt glacial ecosystems and exacerbate melting.
  • Infrastructure projects like the Char Dham Project in Uttarakhand are believed to have disturbed ecologically sensitive glacial zones. 
• Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs): Rapid melting forms unstable glacial lakes, increasing the risk of catastrophic floods.
  • The 2013 Kedarnath disaster, 2021 Chamoli flood in Uttarakhand  and Sikkim flood 2023  were linked to glacial melt and GLOFs. 

Impacts of Glacier Melting 

• Sea-Level Rise Threatens Coastal Regions: Melting glaciers contribute significantly to global sea-level rise, endangering low-lying coastal areas. 
  • Since 1961, glacial melting has raised sea levels by approximately 2.7 cm, with ongoing contributions of 335 billion tonnes of ice loss annually. 
• Destruction of Infrastructure and Habitats: Glacial melt-induced landslides and floods can devastate human settlements and ecosystems.
  • In May 2025, the collapse of Birch Glacier led to a massive landslide that destroyed 90% of the Swiss village Blatten. 
• Accelerated Climate Feedback Loops: Reduced glacier coverage decreases Earth’s albedo, leading to further warming.
  • The melting of glaciers exposes darker surfaces, increasing heat absorption and exacerbating global warming.
• Economic Impacts on Tourism and Livelihoods: Glacier loss affects tourism and local economies reliant on glacial landscapes.
  • In Iceland, the retreat of glaciers threatens tourism, a significant contributor to the national economy.
• Public Health Risks: Permafrost and glacier ice can trap and preserve viruses, bacteria, and spores for thousands of years. As glaciers melt, these dormant pathogens may be released into the environment.
  • Example: In Siberia (2016), a heatwave thawed permafrost and released anthrax spores from a reindeer carcass, infecting humans and animals.

Indian Government Initiatives for Glacier Preservation

• National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE): A sub-mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
  • Focuses on understanding climate impacts on the Himalayan cryosphere, promoting conservation, and building resilience of mountain communities.
• Centre for Cryosphere and Climate Change Studies: Established to promote advanced research on glacier dynamics, glacial lakes, and permafrost in the Indian Himalayan Region.
  • Supports real-time data collection, modelling, and risk forecasting.
• Use of Remote Sensing and GIS by ISRO: ISRO uses satellite-based glacier monitoring to track changes in glacier area, mass, and movement.
  • Enables early warning of glacial lake outbursts (GLOFs) and supports long-term climate modelling.
• Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Risk Mapping by NDMA: The National Disaster Management Authority has initiated zoning of GLOF-prone areas and the creation of early warning systems.
  • Aims to reduce disaster risk in high-altitude vulnerable zones.
• Research by National Institutes: Multiple institutions support India’s glaciology efforts:

• • National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR): Polar and high-altitude research.
  • NIH (Roorkee): Studies on hydrology and glacier melt contribution to rivers.
  • Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology and G.B. Pant Institute: Cryosphere studies and ecological monitoring.
• International Cooperation & Climate Diplomacy: India reaffirmed its commitment to glacier preservation at the 2025 Dushanbe International Conference.
  • Emphasized the need for equity, CBDR-RC, and enhanced technology and finance flows to developing countries.

Challenges in Glacier Preservation

• Accelerating Climate Change and Warming Trends: Global temperature rise is the root cause of rapid glacier retreat, and current emission pledges are insufficient.
  • In 2023 alone, glaciers globally lost a record 604 billion tonnes of ice.
• Lack of Real-Time and Localised Data: Most glaciers are in remote areas with minimal long-term field studies or automated mass balance monitoring.
• Low Financial and Technological Capacity in Developing Countries: Mountain nations lack access to cutting-edge cryosphere research tools, predictive models, and mitigation finance.
  • India and other South Asian countries highlighted the need for increased global funding at the Dushanbe 2025 summit.
• Transboundary Nature of Glacier Systems: Glaciers span across political borders (e.g., Himalayas), complicating joint research, data sharing, and disaster response.
  • The Hindu Kush Himalaya region includes 8 nations, requiring constant diplomatic cooperation. (ICIMOD)
• Poor Regulation of High-Altitude Infrastructure and Tourism: Construction near glacier zones, unregulated pilgrimages, and tourism increase heat absorption and destabilize glacial systems.
  • Flash floods in Uttarakhand (2021) and Himachal (2023) were linked to excessive development near glacial catchments.
• Underutilization of Community Knowledge and Local Capacity: Top-down policies often ignore indigenous and local insights about glacial risks and seasonal shifts. 
  • Local Sherpa and Himalayan communities often have early indicators of glacial stress, but are not integrated into early warning systems.

Way Forward for Glacier Preservation

• Accelerate Global Climate Action: Fast-tracking emission cuts under the Paris Agreement is essential to slow glacier retreat.
  • Studies show that limiting warming to 1.5°C could preserve ~50% of current glacier mass by 2100.
• Strengthen Glacier Monitoring Infrastructure: Expand real-time monitoring using automated weather stations, satellite data, and field research.
• Scale Up GLOF Early Warning Systems: Invest in predictive modelling, siren networks, and community-led disaster response drills.
  • NDMA’s efforts should be extended to all high-risk Himalayan glacial lakes, not just select zones.
• Institutionalize Transboundary Cooperation: Foster Himalayan climate diplomacy for data sharing, joint risk mapping, and ecosystem management.
  • Platforms like ICIMOD should be empowered for coordinated regional glacier governance.
• Promote Eco-sensitive Development and Tourism: Enforce environmental clearances for infrastructure and regulate tourism in fragile glacial zones.
  • Avoid construction near retreating glaciers and vulnerable valleys, as in the case of Kedarnath and Joshimath.
• Leverage Traditional Knowledge and Local Capacity: Integrate indigenous observations with scientific systems to build grassroots resilience.
  • Himalayan communities offer early insights into seasonal shifts, avalanche risk, and glacial water patterns.
• Ensure Climate Finance and Tech Transfer: Push for equitable funding and technology sharing to build glacier adaptation capacity in the Global South.
  • India’s call at Dushanbe 2025 emphasized Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR-RC) for glacier protection.

Conclusion

India’s reaffirmed commitment to glacier preservation at the 2025 Dushanbe Conference underscores its leadership in addressing climate-driven glacier retreat. By integrating national initiatives like NMSHE with global efforts like the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, India aims to safeguard Himalayan glaciers, ensuring water security and ecological stability for millions.