Downstream implications of climate change in the himalayas
Publication date
2016
Authors
Molden, David J.
Shrestha, Arun B.
Nepal, Santosh
Immerzeel, W.W.
Editors
Advisors
Supervisors
Document Type
Part of book
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taverne
Abstract
The Himalayas, Hindu Kush, Karakorum mountains and the Tibetan Plateau make up the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region, an area that has more snow and ice resources than any other region outside of the Polar Regions (Fig. 1). The HKH region extends 3500 km over all or part of eight countries from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east. About 200 million people live in the HKH mountains, while 1.3 billion people depend directly or indirectly on waters that originate in the mountains in 10 major river basins. These mountains are under threat from climate change and other socio-economic changes that will pose a challenge for Asia’s future. This chapter reviews the state of knowledge concerning the mountain’s water resources, draws out implications for downstream users, and recommends key actions to be taken.
Keywords
Glacial lake, Glacier area, Indus basin, Snow cover, Total runoff, Taverne, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law, Water Science and Technology, Environmental Engineering, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 13 - Climate Action
Citation
Molden, D J, Shrestha, A B, Nepal, S & Immerzeel, W W 2016, Downstream implications of climate change in the himalayas. in Water Resources Development and Management. Water Resources Development and Management, Springer, pp. 65-82. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-976-9_5