The conference was organised in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) in collaboration with UNESCO and World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
Why Glaciers are Important?
- Freshwater Reservoirs: Only 3% of Earth’s water is fresh, and two-thirds is frozen in glaciers.
- River Ecosystem: E.g. Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) (~54,000 glaciers) contribute ~ 40% of Indus River system’s flow.
- Natural archives of Earth's climate: Store records up to 800,000 years, aiding in understanding warming & cooling cycles.
- Monsoon Regulation: Temperature difference between Himalayan glaciers & Indian Ocean pulls South West monsoon.
Initiatives Taken
- India
- National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) - a key component of India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
- Centre for Cryosphere and Climate Change Studies: For monitoring of glaciers in Indian Himalayan Region.
- Disaster preparedness: E.g. Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risk mapping.
- Global
- Declared International Year of Glaciers Preservation, 2025 (by UNESCO and WMO) & Decade (2025–2034) of Action for Cryospheric Sciences.
- Paris Agreement: To limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD): Intergovernmental institution to preserve HKH.