ACCELERATED glacial melt in the Indus river basin, as highlighted recently by the National Disaster Management Authority, paints a grim picture of the risks facing our region. With a staggering 23.3pc reduction in snow cover and a 16pc loss in glaciers over the past five years, the threat to the basin — which supports nearly 300m people in Pakistan and India — is dire. The impacts are already being felt across the region, with short-lived water surpluses and longer-term threats of water scarcity and increased flood risks. The Hindu Kush-Himalayan range, often referred to as the world’s Third Pole, feeds this river basin and is vital to about 2bn people who depend on its glacial melt for water, energy and agriculture. The melting glaciers not only threaten the Indus basin’s water supply but also impact agriculture and food security across South Asia. The looming possibility of losing 30-75pc of the glaciers’ ice volume by the century’s end, as noted by some experts, underscores the urgent need for action.

Unfortunately, the stark reality is that political hostilities between India and Pakistan often overshadow these pressing issues. Both nations, already water-stressed and heavily reliant on agriculture for survival, find themselves at odds over many issues, leaving the climate crisis unaddressed. Political disputes have led to a lack of data sharing and collaboration between scientists across borders. This lack of cooperation means that both countries are sleepwalking into what scientists have forecast as “cascading disasters”. The impacts of glacial melt are not confined to national borders. Effective management of water resources, sharing of climate data, and joint disaster preparedness initiatives are essential. Discussions at official forums are important, but these must be followed by action that leads to a broader, regional strategy. South Asia’s leaders must realise that when it comes to climate threats, political hostilities must take a back seat because floods, droughts and future climate disasters will wait for no one.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2024