{"id":20017022,"date":"2015-12-11T16:14:08","date_gmt":"2015-12-11T10:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thethirdpole.net\/?p=17022"},"modified":"2022-05-09T19:44:19","modified_gmt":"2022-05-09T14:14:19","slug":"water-map-himalayas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/water\/water-map-himalayas\/","title":{"rendered":"First water atlas of the Himalayas launched in Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The new atlas, released today at the UN climate summit, is based on years of data from five of the ten main river basins in the Himalayas: the Brahmaputra, Ganges, Indus, Mekong and Salween. It uses maps and infographics to show how the region\u2019s climate is changing now and into the future, with severe consequences for populations, both local and downstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"HKH<\/div>
HKH map<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMountains are beautiful but we shouldn\u2019t forget that they are the most fragile landmass on earth and need more care,\u201d said David Molden, director general of the Kathmandu based International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hindu Kush Himalayas are known as the water tower of Asia. Snow, glaciers and rainfall from the mountains feed the ten largest river systems in Asia. Together these rivers support the drinking water, irrigation, energy, industry and sanitation needs of 1.3 billion people living in the mountains and downstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis atlas is an initiative to simplify complex scientific information generated for decades and allows policymakers to understand the real picture of threats due to climate change,\u201d said Bj\u00f6rn Alfthan, project manager of the Polar and Cryosphere Division at GRID-Arendal<\/a>, Norway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"hydrology<\/div>
Hydrological characteristics of the Himalayan region map<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMountains are beautiful but we shouldn\u2019t forget that they are the most fragile landmass on earth and need more care,\u201d said David Molden, director general of the Kathmandu based International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hindu Kush Himalayas are known as the water tower of Asia. Snow, glaciers and rainfall from the mountains feed the ten largest river systems in Asia. Together these rivers support the drinking water, irrigation, energy, industry and sanitation needs of 1.3 billion people living in the mountains and downstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis atlas is an initiative to simplify complex scientific information generated for decades and allows policymakers to understand the real picture of threats due to climate change,\u201d said Bj\u00f6rn Alfthan, project manager of the Polar and Cryosphere Division at GRID-Arendal<\/a>, Norway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data gaps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change\u2019s fourth assessment report<\/a> called the region a \u201cwhite spot\u201d because of the lack of information and experts say the situation has not improved much. \u201cData gaps in the Hindu Kush Himalayas are still very large and most of the analyses are based on modelled data. Countries should come together to share data and undertake more rigorous,\u201d added Molden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The atlas recommends the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change<\/a> should initiate a comprehensive assessment of the Himalayan glaciers and river flow to fill the remaining gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlthough the total amount of water flowing within some of Asia\u2019s biggest rivers such as the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus is not expected to decrease until 2050, we can expect higher variability and more floods and droughts,\u201d the report concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"himalayas<\/div>
Glacier loss<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The report was jointly produced by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)<\/a>, GRID-Arendal<\/a> and the Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research-Oslo (CICERO<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major findings:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n