Glaciologists, local communities, and experts from four countries have gathered in Nepal’s Langtang region to mourn the loss of Yala Glacier, which has officially been declared “dead.” The event, marked on Monday, serves as a poignant reminder of the accelerating disappearance of glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) due to global warming, threatening the ecosystems and water resources of millions across Asia.
Yala Glacier, located in Nepal’s Langtang Valley, has long been a subject of intense study by glaciologists from Nepal, India, China, Bhutan, and beyond. It was one of the first glaciers in the region to be closely monitored for decades, offering crucial insights into the rapid pace of deglaciation. The glacier has retreated by 784 meters and shrunk by 66% since it was first measured in the 1970s, highlighting the urgent need for action on climate change.
In a solemn tribute to the glacier, a memorial ceremony was held with over 50 participants, including Buddhist monks, local community members, and glaciologists. The event featured a Buddhist prayer ceremony, speeches, and the unveiling of two granite memorial plaques, inscribed with messages from two prominent authors: Andri Snaer Magnason and Manjushree Thapa.
Magnason’s inscription reads: “Yala glacier is one of 54,000 glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, most of which are expected to vanish this century due to global warming. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done.” Thapa’s message, echoing the importance of glaciers, reads: “Dream of a glacier and the civilizations downstream. Entire ecosystems: our own sustenance. The cosmos. And all that we know and all that we love.”
The loss of Yala Glacier is not just symbolic but also scientifically significant. Yala is one of only seven glaciers in the entire 3,500 km stretch of the HKH region to have been monitored annually for over a decade. It is also one of 38 glaciers with in-situ measurements that have provided crucial data on glacier loss, which has now been lost due to its rapid retreat.
A Grim Reminder of Climate Change
According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the loss of glaciers like Yala is part of a larger global trend. Since 1975, Earth’s mountains have lost nearly nine trillion tonnes of ice, equivalent to a 2.72-meter thick block of ice the size of India. On current melt rates, many glaciers worldwide, including those in the HKH region, may not survive the 21st century.
Shyam Saran, former foreign secretary and special envoy for climate change in India, who attended the ceremony, emphasized the far-reaching consequences of climate change on Asia’s water systems. “This thawing is currently upping the water available for Asia’s major economies and huge urban centers, but we know this water is set to decline from mid-century—just 25 years from now,” Saran said. He further cautioned that without urgent action on climate change, future ecological disasters could dwarf current global issues.
Impact on Water Security
Yala’s rapid disappearance, although small in terms of its water contribution, provides critical insights into how rapidly climate change is impacting glaciers. ICIMOD points out that nearly two billion people rely on the river systems originating in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, and the loss of glaciers poses a direct threat to water security for these populations.
Snow persistence over the HKH region has plummeted to a 23-year low, showing a dramatic 23.6% drop from the long-term average. This trend is compounded by the third consecutive year of below-normal seasonal snow cover, underscoring the severe impact of global warming on the region’s glaciers. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the period from 2022 to 2024 witnessed the largest three-year loss of glacier mass on record.
The Importance of Yala Glacier in Research
While Yala may be small in terms of its contribution to downstream water supplies, its significance in advancing cryosphere research cannot be overstated. Over 100 glaciologists have used it as a training site, and its detailed field data has highlighted the unprecedented rate of ice melt in the region. Sher Muhammad, a remote sensing specialist at ICIMOD, noted that Yala’s rapidly melting ice is helping researchers understand the far-reaching effects of climate change on glaciers in the HKH region.
The loss of Yala Glacier is a somber reminder of the broader environmental changes taking place across the globe. With glaciers disappearing at an alarming rate, the global community faces a growing need to address the climate crisis before it leads to even more profound consequences for ecosystems and water security worldwide.
Sources By Agencies
