The Great Glacier and Snow-Dependent Rivers of Asia and Climate Change: Heading for Troubled Waters

The glacier- and snow-fed river basins of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) mountains provide water to 1.9 billion people in Asia. signs climate change HKH are clear, with increased warming accelerated melting snow glaciers. This threatens water, food, energy livelihood security for many links between plains differential impacts on societies upstream downstream need be better established improve adaptation measures. chapter sheds light cryosphere mountains, impact systems social consequences such changes hills plains. In high hills, is as seen agropastoral increasing occurrence floods droughts, losses damages already high. Moving downstream, signal harder separate from other environmental management factors. outlines how will various sectors plains, hydropower, irrigation, cities, industries environment. It discusses potentially lead disasters out-migration people. concludes by highlighting necessary actions, reduce emissions globally, build regional cooperation countries, increase technical financial support adaptation, more robust interdisciplinary science address changing policy needs.