Issue of Glacier Melting in Himachal :

The climate change and rise in temperature has resulted in an average glacier loss of 20 m per year in the Himachal Pradesh

Devastating news for the people living in Himalayan region as study reveals that the Himalayan glaciers are melting rapidly and has doubled since the turn of the century, with more than a quarter of all ice lost over the last four decades. The accelerating losses indicate a “devastating” future for the region, upon which a billion people depend for regular water.

Researchers from Columbia University claimed that the glaciers have lost more than a quarter of their ice in the last 4 decades. They sifted through declassified US spy satellite images from the mid-1970s and took help of modern satellite data and looked at 650 glaciers and four-decade record of ice along the 2,000km (1,200-mile) mountain chain.

The study, which is published in Science Advances journal claims, the Himalayas lose an average of 4bn tonne ice from 1975- 2000. But after 2000 the glaciers started melting twice as fast losing about 8bn tonne, every year (2000-2016). 8bn tonne ice is enough to fill 3.2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools per year. Lower level glaciers have been shrinking 5 m in height annually since 2000. Researchers claim Global heating caused by human activities as the main reason behind this drastic melting of Himalayan glaciers. The glaciers are shrinking at similar rates all along the mountain chain, indicating a common cause.

Temperature data from the region also shows an average rise of 1C from 2000-16 compared with 1975-2000. Calculations show this rise is consistent with the amount of ice being lost.

Melting of glaciers will affect great rivers that flow through China, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Which in turn will have a serious impact for billions depending on these rivers in recent future. The low-altitude Himalayan glaciers are losing water at a faster pace than the ones in higher reaches due to rising temperatures creating water risk in these regions, a new study has found. Himalayan glaciers are a huge reservoir of water that sustain lives of millions of people in India and many rivers including Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus originate from the glacial ice. While most glaciers are melting only a few have witnessed advancement in recent decades.

A study of 146 glaciers spread over 660sq km in Chandra basin in the western Himalayas has for the first time estimated the loss of volume. This helps in understanding the behaviour of glaciers in the wake of climate change as the overall spread of the glaciers may not fall but water content may go down.

 Himachal Pradesh State Centre on Climate Change, says that glaciers are direct indicators of global warming and satellite data analysis of glaciers in Himachal shows retreat in glacier snouts, variation in snow cover extent and formation of moraine dammed lakes. The Himalayan ecosystem has 51 million people who practice hill agriculture and whose vulnerability is expected to increase on account of climate change. He notes an overall reduction in glacier area from 2077 sq.km. to 1628 sq.km. from 1962-2001 in the Chenab, Parbati and Baspa Basins, and overall de-glaciation of 21 per cent of total area in these basins. Studies by GSI of prominent glaciers in Himachal Pradesh shows a retreat in four glaciers including Chhota Shigri.

To stop this temperature rise and to cool the planet, slowing down greenhouse gas emissions won’t be enough, but  will have to reverse them and that is going to be the greatest challenge for the human race in the coming years.

Way Forward :

Support Infrastructural Development : It is important to support the development of the recently modern renewable energy infrastructures.Must make sure that govt. act on making necessary changes that can lead to the elimination or reduction of subsidies on fossil fuels, thus generating an advance in the renewable energies.

Reduce carbon Emission : The reduction of black carbon emission is the need of the hour.This can be done by upgrading the diesel filters in cars, reducing deforestation, and changing of biomass burning stoves with natural gas or solar energy.

These changes might be costly but are quite cheaper than the de-carbonization process. It helps to cut down black carbon and reduce the rate of global warming, which in turn prevent glacial melting. Also government of Himachal took initiative to ply electric buses in  Himachal which are ecofriendly.

Alternative Energy Solutions : Since global warming hastens the melting of glaciers . Alternative energy sources provide the best solution to global warming. Solar panels have solar cells that can collect the heat from the sun and convert it into energy.

Also, wind turbines are machines designed to use the energy from the wind to produce power. Geothermal energy also makes use of the heat from inside the earth. Biofuels such as ethanol may be created in your locality by mixing and fermenting vegetable, grain, and fruit waste. Ethanol can be used in making biodiesel fuel; a dirt free burning fuel for diesel engines.

Electric cars are powered by batteries (developed from hydrogen fuel cells) as opposed to the total reliant on the highly combustible engines. Wave and tidal power use the great power of the sea by harnessing the power with generators put on the sea floor.

Planting of trees : Forests play a vital role in global warming. The degradation and destruction of forests add to the problem through the release of carbon dioxide. This, in turn, causes the melting of the glaciers.

Planting of trees can help fight against global warming by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Planting of new forests can help balance the increases of carbon dioxide as trees absorb the CO2 and bring out oxygen through the process known as photosynthesis.

Recycling : It is believed that recycling helps in emitting fewer greenhouse gases and releasing lesser carbon dioxide in the earth. Greenhouse gases are the gases that cause heat to remain in the atmosphere, allowing the temperature of the earth to increase and increase in climatic change.

When the greenhouse gases store up in the atmosphere, a lot more heat becomes trapped, creating the greenhouse effect. This ultimately leads to the melting of glaciers. Also, CO2 is released from the landfills. Eventually, papers dump in landfills breaks down, thereby, emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. But recycling (which helps to keep trash from landfills) helps to reduce these emissions and instead helps to reduce global warming and glacial melting.

Buy energy-efficient appliances : After their release in 1987, energy-efficient appliances have helped to keep about 2.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide out from the atmosphere. That is approximately the amount of the yearly carbon pollution released by about 440 million cars.

Energy-efficient appliances may be the lowest-cost way to reduce carbon emissions. When getting your home appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, automatic washers, etc, check out for the Energy Star label

Awareness of Understanding Individual carbon path : It is essential to recognize how individual contribution can alter climatic conditions. What you do in your daily life can help in reducing carbon pollution such as Drive as few as possible. Several cities have good public transportation networks; One can use bicycle, carpool, jog or walk to your destination. Save power in your home by using energy saving bulbs. Turning off of the water while brushing  teeth. Taking shorter showers. Turning off lights when not in use. Unplugging electronics when not in use, and hanging laundry outside to dry.

When done on a large scale, these overlooked little things make a big impact. And on the long run, they help to reduce individual carbon path and prevent the glaciers from melting.