The Himalayan region of South Asia has a unique physiographic system comprising a large network of high altitude mountains. These mountains are covered with snow year round at very high altitudes, while at moderate altitudes they have many glaciers. The Himalayan glaciers serve as a watershed for the generation of many of the major rivers, which flow into the countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India and Nepal. Thus the Himalayan ecological system comprising snow, glaciers and rivers provides sustenance to the people living in the region as well as the flora and fauna.
The various Himalayan rivers form the economic lifeline for the people of these countries, who number around 1.5 billion, almost a quarter of the world’s population. Most of the water carried by these rivers is snow-melt or glacier melt augmented by the seasonal rainfall runoff. These rivers provide water not only for human consumption and irrigation but also for power generation. In addition, apart from sustaining wildlife, they are used for transportation, fisheries, tourism, etc. In short, all these rivers generated from the Himalayas have been traditionally fulfilling the water needs of the vast population living in these river basins.
Climate Change Scenario
With rapidly rising global temperatures due to the greenhouse effect (caused primarily by fossil fuel combustion) the ice caps on the mountain peaks are thinning, and the glaciers are melting. Thus the annual snow melt is more than the replenishment during the winter snowfall. Simultaneously, the changing weather is leading to a geographical shift in the monsoon rain pattern thus causing more rain in the upper reaches of these rivers thereby generating more river flows in the summers, which causes floods in the plains. It is also causing a rise in sea levels in the coastal areas of the South Asian countries, which may be of dangerous levels in low-lying Maldives, Sri Lanka. Bangladesh etc.
Evidently, this is a transitory phenomenon as gradually all the glaciers will melt in the long run due to higher temperatures on the mountains thus drying up the huge source of the water of the rivers in the region. This will also lead to a reduction of overall rainfall in the region due to climatic change. Drought conditions will then prevail, leading to shortage of irrigation water for the crops, fisheries, power generation, wildlife, tourism etc.
The region is already underdeveloped, with low income levels and poor economies. Ironically, the population of these south Asian countries is growing at a fast pace, which is increasing the demand of food production annually. This is further accentuating the impending environmental and economic disaster in the making in this particular region. The aim is not to paint here a doomsday scenario but the situation appears to be almost as certain as 2 plus 2 equals 4, unless immediate concrete measures are adopted to stop the onset of this malaise.
What Can Be Done?
Apart from global cooperation to stem the tide of climate change through reduction in the overall production of greenhouse gases, thus arresting worldwide temperature rise, there is a dire need of coordinated action by the countries of this region to mitigate the effects of climate change by not only reducing their carbon footprint but also to prepare for water conservation and its most economical use, recycling, prohibition of pollution of rivers, lakes, etc., construction of dams and barrages for storage, power generation and regulation of water, flood control measures, reforestation, etc. And finally there is need for greater mutual cooperation by the countries of the Himalayan region for united action to counter this crucial problem for their common goal of long term survival.
With the rapidly depleting water resources in the region and a simultaneous fast rise in population, the situation may soon become critical. Therefore, all conceivable preventive measures in conjunction with mitigation steps need to be taken to avoid the looming catastrophe.
References
1.’Meeting Planned on Himalayan Rivers’ by Khaleeq Kiani, DAWN Newspaper Pakistan, dated December 28, 2011.
2. ‘Shared Waters & Glacial Melt’ by Naseer Memon, DAWN Newspaper, Pakistan, dated January 01, 2012.
Arshad Munir - An avid reader of many diverse subjects with a passion for multidimensional writing .though a civil engineer by profession
