Glacier melt accelerating across the Himalayas, threatening two billion lives downstream

“Nepal is on thin ice,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned in a powerful video address to the inaugural Sagarmatha Sambaad – or Everest Dialogue – held in Kathmandu, as climate-induced glacier loss across the Himalayas reaches alarming levels.

The event, hosted by the Government of Nepal, brought together ministers, lawmakers, scientists, and civil society to discuss climate change, mountain ecosystems, and sustainability, amid growing concerns over glacial melt and downstream water insecurity.

‘65% Faster Glacier Melt in a Decade’

“Record temperatures have meant record glacier melt,” Guterres said. “Nepal has lost nearly one-third of its ice in just over thirty years, and its glaciers are now melting 65 per cent faster than in the previous decade.”

The Himalayas, long revered as the ‘water towers’ of Asia, feed critical rivers such as the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus. Their accelerated retreat, scientists warn, could jeopardize food and water security for nearly two billion people across South Asia.

Combined with saltwater intrusion and rising sea levels, Guterres cautioned, these changes could result in collapsing deltas, displacement, and the erasure of entire communities and countries.

A day before the summit, over 100 children and young people submitted a declaration calling for urgent, inclusive climate action that recognises their rights and leadership in the climate fight.

“The climate crisis is a child rights crisis – disproportionately impacting their health, nutrition, education and well-being,” said Alice Akunga, UNICEF Nepal Representative, who called for systemic inclusion of children in policy and innovation.

Key youth demands included participation in climate decisions, support for youth-led programmes, and promotion of their innovations as part of sustainable development strategies.

Recalling his 2023 visit to the Himalayas, where he stood in melting glacial basins, the UN chief renewed his call to ‘stop the madness’ of fossil fuel-driven global warming.

“You are gathered here for Sambaad – for dialogue,” he said, urging governments to accelerate climate ambition and protect mountain regions that are vanishing before the world’s eyes.