Scientists have confirmed that, if climate goals are not achieved, up to two thirds of the glaciersin the Himalya region could melt due to climate change by 2100. But even if the global community does meet all climate goals about a third of Himalaya's glaciers are in danger of melting away. The recent report was compiled by hundreds of researchers over a five year period.
It comes to the conclusion that global warming increases the higher into the atmosphere you get. The Himalayas, therefore, representing the world's highest mountain range, could heat up by over 4°C, far more than the average warming of the planet, by the turn of the next century.
About 250 million people in the Himalayan region and an additional 1.5 billion in neighbouring river valleys depend on glaciers for clean water and energy. The melting of glaciers could result in the flooding of the Ganges, Indus and Mekong river plains. As a result, millions would lose farming fields and not be able to grow the crops they need.
Since the 1970s climataologists have witnessed the retreat of Himalaya's glaciers, but this is the first time that a warning has been issued.
In addition to melting glaciers, global warming has caused polluted air from China and India, which has led to changing rainfall patterns across the continent.
India's cities have experienced water shortages in the past years. About half of the country's population doesn't have enough clean water. As a result, about 200,000 people die of water-related diseases every year.
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