😱Ice Apocalypse: Himalayan Glaciers on the Edge, 75% Could Be Gone by 2100!😲
TL;DR; 📌:
A distress signal straight from the Himalayas!💔 As our Earth heats up🔥, Himalayan glaciers could bid goodbye to almost 75% of their icy mass by 2100. Think it’s just the mountains’ problem?🤔 Well, this could spell disaster😱 for 2 billion people who rely on those rivers flowing from these glaciers. From flash floods to water shortages – buckle up, folks, it’s going to be a wild ride!😵
Okay, peeps, ever thought about ice in June? Maybe to chill your lemonade 🍋, but what about the ice way up in the Himalayas? Turns out, that frosty cap might not be as cool (literally!) as we’d hope for. Brace yourselves, the mountains are losing their chill, and we’re not talking about their vibe. 🏔️🔥
Reportedly, those frosty Himalayan glaciers are melting faster than your ice cream on a summer day! It’s not just a few drops either. By the end of this century, these ancient, icy giants might lose up to a staggering 75% of their volume. Talk about a meltdown, huh? 😱
Now you might ask, “Why should I care about some distant glaciers?” Well, here’s the kicker – these icy titans serve as the lifeline for 2 billion people who live downstream of the rivers originating in the Himalayas.🌊 As these glaciers melt, flash floods and avalanches are more likely to occur, putting these people in danger. But once the icy thrill is gone, we’ll face a daunting water shortage. 😨💦
Our friends in the mountains, who haven’t contributed much to global warming, are the ones left to face the music. Think their ice bucket challenge is fun? Nope, just chillingly scary! Is this climate change’s version of irony? 🙃
The icy loss doesn’t stop there. Mount Everest’s glaciers, for instance, have lost 2000 years worth of ice in the past 30 years alone. Now, that’s not a record we want to be setting! 🏔️🌡️
The situation is dire. If we reach 3 degrees Celsius of warming (which is what we’re on track for under current climate policies), glaciers in the Eastern Himalayas (Nepal and Bhutan, we’re looking at you) could lose up to 75% of their ice. Crank up the heat to 4 degrees, and it’s a depressing 80%. Woah, time to turn down the global thermostat, right? 🌍💔
We’re losing our glaciers, and we’re losing them fast! What will be the impact on water ecosystems and society in these mountainous regions? 💧🏞️😢
Also, water flow in the region’s 12 river basins, including some big names like the Ganges, Indus, and Mekong, is likely to peak around mid-century. Once past peak water, it’s a slippery slope to dwindling supplies.🚰😮
Our Himalayan communities are already feeling the heat (again, literally!). The Indian mountain town of Joshimath began sinking earlier this year and its residents had to be relocated within days. Is this the climate change reality we’re waking up to? 😨🏘️
Governments are trying to gear up for these chilling changes. China is striving to reinforce the country’s water supplies, while Pakistan is setting up
