The Himalayan Region - stretching from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east – is one of the most vital yet vulnerable regions on Earth. The region is often called ‘The Third Pole’ given that its glaciers and peaks represent the third largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth, after the North and South poles. This towering, majestic range is more than just a collection of peaks; it is the lifeblood of the planet, sustaining 240 million people in the mountains and 1.65 billion people downstream.
The Himalayan glaciers and rivers fuel some of the world’s mightiest waterways, supporting life, livelihoods, cultures, and biodiversity across Asia. The Himalayan Region is warming faster than the global average, making it ground zero for the climate crisis. Even in the most optimistic scenarios, the 2019 ‘Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment’ by ICIMOD predicts that one-third of the region’s glaciers will melt by the end of this century. If global warming continues unchecked, that loss will accelerate to two-thirds – an irreversible catastrophe for ecosystems, communities, and economies
