KATHMANDU, MARCH 21
The United Nations World Water Development Report 2025, published by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water, reveals that climate disruption, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable activities are transforming mountain environments at an unprecedented rate, threatening water resources, and putting billions of people and countless ecosystems at risk.
"Regardless of where we live, we all depend in some way on mountains and glaciers. But these essential natural water towers are facing imminent peril," said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. "This report demonstrates the urgent need for action and that the most effective solutions require a multilateral approach."
According to the report, mountains account for up to 60 per cent of global freshwater flows each year. More than one billion people live in mountainous areas, and over two billion rely on mountain water for drinking, sanitation, and livelihoods.
"Water flows downhill, but food insecurity rises uphill. The earth's mountains provide 60 per cent of our freshwater, but the communities that safeguard these vital resources are among the most food insecure. We must invest in their resilience to protect glaciers, rivers and a shared future for all of us," said Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Chair of UN-Water.
Mountain regions are critical to industries like pastoralism, forestry, tourism, and energy production. Mountain areas account for 85% of hydropower generation in Andean countries. Mountains also provide high-value products such as medicinal plants, timber and other forest products, unique mountain livestock, and specialty agricultural products, all of which require water.
However, the report states that glaciers all over the world are melting at unprecedented rates, and that mountain waters are frequently the first to be exposed and vulnerable to the severe consequences of climate and biodiversity disruptions.
Dr Rijan Bhakta Kayastha, Professor of Glaciology at Kathmandu University, stated that previous studies showed Nepal had 3,252 glaciers in 2001, which had grown to 3,808 by 2010. Similarly, data from ICIMOD and UNDP show that there were 2,323 glacial lakes in 2001, 1,466 in 2010, and 2,070 in 2015.
"The changing numbers are due to glacier melting, thawing, division, and merging processes," he said.
"There are 47 potentially dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal's major river basins-42 in the Koshi, three in the Gandaki, and two in the Karnali. Additionally, from 1977 to 2010, Nepal lost 24 per cent of its glacier area and 29 per cent of its ice reserves, posing serious concerns for water resources and livelihoods."
Today the situation is critical: up to half of rural mountain dwellers in developing countries suffer from food insecurity, with women and children being most at risk. More broadly, the report reveals that receding glaciers and dwindling snowfall in mountains would impact two-thirds of all irrigated agriculture in the world and will have wide-reaching implications for the vast majority of the population.
According to Dr Mohan P. Chand, Assistant Professor at Kathmandu University, the cryosphere encompasses all forms of Earth's ice, including snow, glaciers, sea ice, frozen ground, and atmospheric ice. "About 10 per cent of the Earth's land is covered by glaciers or ice sheets, and due to climate change, glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, increasing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Nepal has recorded 54 GLOFs, resulting in 36 fatalities and the displacement of 1,050 people," he said.
According to the report, there is now an urgent need for international cooperation and adaptation strategies and actions to face the unfolding crisis in our mountains and glaciers.
Pema Gyamtsho, director general of ICIMOD, stated, "I always refer to Nepal as the mountain capital of the world. If these mountains melt, all forms of life will face danger as their colours shift from white to grey. Despite being signatories to all global conventions, we are not acting. So, rather than waiting for data or enough information, it is time to take practical and impactful action to protect our planet from imminent peril."
Speaking at a programme here today to commemorate Nepal National Glacier, Water, and Weather Week 2025 and World Glaciers Day, Minister of Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, emphasised the importance of preserving glaciers and how their melting has impacted our rivers and water sources, access to safely managed drinking water, hydropower, and overall climate change.
"Climate change has deeply impacted the climate ecosystem of Nepal, accelerating disasters and glacier melting. Thus, for a sustainable future for all, we must act to protect glaciers," he said.