Ebook109 pages2 hours
Glaciers of the Himalayas: Climate Change, Black Carbon, and Regional Resilience
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
()
About this ebook
Melting glaciers and the loss of seasonal snow pose significant risks to the stability of water resources in South Asia. The 55,000 glaciers in the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush (HKHK) mountain ranges store more freshwater than any region outside of the North and South Poles. Their ice reserves feed into three major river basins in South Asia—the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra—that are home to 750 million people.
One major regional driver of the accelerating glacier melt is climate change, which is altering the patterns of temperature and precipitation. A second driver may be deposits of anthropogenic black carbon (BC), which increase the glaciers’ absorption of solar radiation and raise air temperatures. BC is generated by human activity both inside and outside of South Asia, and policy actions taken by the South Asian countries themselves may meaningfully reduce it.
Glaciers of the Himalayas: Climate Change, Black Carbon, and Regional Resilience investigates the extent to which the BC reduction policies of South Asian countries may affect glacier formation and melt within the context of a changing global climate. It assesses the relative impact of each source of black carbon on snow and glacier dynamics. The authors simulate how BC emissions interact with projected climate scenarios. They also estimate the extent to which these glacial processes affect water resources in downstream areas of these river basins and present scenarios until 2040. Their policy recommendations include the following:
Full implementation of current BC emissions policies can significantly reduce BC deposition in the region; additional reductions can be realized by enacting and implementing new policies that are economically and technically feasible.
Improving the efficiency of brick kilns could be key to managing BC, and modest up-front investments could pay off quickly. Cleaner cookstoves and cleaner fuels can help to reduce BC and improve local air quality.
Improving institutions for basin-based water management and using price signals are essential elements of more efficient water management.
Careful management of hydropower and storage resources will require developers to factor in changing water flows and consider planning for large storage projects to stabilize water availability.
Regional cooperation and the exchange of information can be an effective transboundary solution, helping countries to manage glaciers and related natural assets collaboratively.
New policies are needed to reverse trends like the melting of glaciers. Success will require an active, agile cooperation between researchers and policy makers. To support an open dialogue, the model developed and used in this book is an open-source, state-of-the-art model that is available for others to use and improve on.
One major regional driver of the accelerating glacier melt is climate change, which is altering the patterns of temperature and precipitation. A second driver may be deposits of anthropogenic black carbon (BC), which increase the glaciers’ absorption of solar radiation and raise air temperatures. BC is generated by human activity both inside and outside of South Asia, and policy actions taken by the South Asian countries themselves may meaningfully reduce it.
Glaciers of the Himalayas: Climate Change, Black Carbon, and Regional Resilience investigates the extent to which the BC reduction policies of South Asian countries may affect glacier formation and melt within the context of a changing global climate. It assesses the relative impact of each source of black carbon on snow and glacier dynamics. The authors simulate how BC emissions interact with projected climate scenarios. They also estimate the extent to which these glacial processes affect water resources in downstream areas of these river basins and present scenarios until 2040. Their policy recommendations include the following:
Full implementation of current BC emissions policies can significantly reduce BC deposition in the region; additional reductions can be realized by enacting and implementing new policies that are economically and technically feasible.
Improving the efficiency of brick kilns could be key to managing BC, and modest up-front investments could pay off quickly. Cleaner cookstoves and cleaner fuels can help to reduce BC and improve local air quality.
Improving institutions for basin-based water management and using price signals are essential elements of more efficient water management.
Careful management of hydropower and storage resources will require developers to factor in changing water flows and consider planning for large storage projects to stabilize water availability.
Regional cooperation and the exchange of information can be an effective transboundary solution, helping countries to manage glaciers and related natural assets collaboratively.
New policies are needed to reverse trends like the melting of glaciers. Success will require an active, agile cooperation between researchers and policy makers. To support an open dialogue, the model developed and used in this book is an open-source, state-of-the-art model that is available for others to use and improve on.
Related to Glaciers of the Himalayas
Related ebooks
Turn Down the Heat: Climate Extremes, Regional Impacts, and the Case for Resilience Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsClimate Change and Migration Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWeather and Climate Resilience Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mixing in Inland and Coastal Waters Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Increasing Resilience to Climate Change in the Agricultural Sector of the Middle East: The Cases of Jordan and Lebanon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPast Glacial Environments Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPhysical Geography: Made Simple Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Climate and Hydrology of Mountain Areas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLow-Carbon Development: Opportunities for Nigeria Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLow-Carbon Development Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Changing Wealth of Nations 2021: Managing Assets for the Future Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWater and Climate in the Western United States Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSea Level Rise: History and Consequences Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAdaptation to a Changing Climate in the Arab Countries Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Desalination: Water from Water Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMediterranean Climate Variability Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWater Management in Oil and Gas Operations: Industry Practice and Policy Guidelines for Developing Countries Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Environmental Science For You
Mushrooms of the Northwest: A Simple Guide to Common Mushrooms Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDruidry Handbook: Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Living Earth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Orvis Guide to Beginning Fly Fishing: 101 Tips for the Absolute Beginner Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The World Without Us Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsForest Walking: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of North America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mother of God: An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Tributaries of the Western Amazon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Herbology At Home: Making Herbal Remedies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Not in His Image (15th Anniversary Edition): Gnostic Vision, Sacred Ecology, and the Future of Belief Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Big Book of Nature Activities: A Year-Round Guide to Outdoor Learning Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Never Cry Wolf Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Foraging for Beginners: Your Simplified Guide to Foraging Edible Plants for Survival in the Wild: Self-Sufficient Living Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSilent Spring Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Legacy of Luna: The Story of a Tree, a Woman, and the Struggle to Save the Redwoods Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Becoming Rooted: One Hundred Days of Reconnecting with Sacred Earth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Homegrown & Handmade: A Practical Guide to More Self-Reliant Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sacred Plant Medicine: The Wisdom in Native American Herbalism Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary and Analysis of The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals 1: Based on the Book by Michael Pollan Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Glaciers of the Himalayas
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Glaciers of the Himalayas - Muthukumara Mani
Enjoying the preview?
Page 1 of 1