**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to a parliamentary question (No. 664) regarding the adverse effects of climate change on the Himalayas, addressed on December 3, 2025. It outlines the government's existing schemes for investigation and study of these effects, glacier monitoring efforts, institutions involved, real-time monitoring of glaciers in Sikkim, and the establishment of Centers of Excellence. The document details existing programs and research efforts.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Government Schemes and Programs:**
* The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), through the National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), monitors Himalayan glaciers under the Cryosphere and Climate program (part of the Polar Science and Cryosphere Research sub-scheme).
* The Department of Science and Technology (DST) supports research and development projects for studying Himalayan glaciers under the National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC).
* The National Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP) phase-I, initiated by NDMA, aims to implement early warning systems in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, J&K, and Ladakh.
* **Glacier Monitoring:**
* NCPOR systematically monitors representative glaciers in the western and eastern Himalaya.
* MoES (through NCPOR) has been monitoring six glaciers in the Chandra basin (western Himalaya) since 2013, with a field research station ("Himansh") operational since 2016.
* Two glacial lakes (South Lhonak and Shako Cho) have been monitored in real time in Sikkim.
* **Institutions Involved:**
* Several Indian institutes/universities/organizations, funded by various ministries (MoES, DST, MoEFCC, Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Jal Shakti), monitor Himalayan glaciers.
* Over 20 national institutions/state and central universities currently conduct research, including NCPOR-MoES, Geological Survey of India (GSI), Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), and various IITs and Universities.
* **Glacier Retreat:**
* The mean retreat rate of Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers is 14.9 ± 15.1 meter/annum (m/a). The glaciers in Karakoram region have shown comparatively minor length change (-1.37 ± 22.8 m/a).
* The Chandra basin has lost about 6% of its glacial area in the last 20 years, with annual retreat rates of 13 to 33 meters/year during the last decade.
* **Centers of Excellence (CoE):**
* Three CoEs for Glacial Studies were established at the Universities of Sikkim, Tezpur, and Kashmir by the DST under the NMSHE.
**Impact Analysis**
**Key Stakeholder: Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)**
**Impact**
Affected through its autonomous institute (NCPOR) being responsible for monitoring Himalayan glaciers.
**Action Required**
Continue monitoring glaciers through NCPOR under the Cryosphere and Climate program, and the Polar Science and Cryosphere Research sub-scheme.
**Key Stakeholder: Department of Science and Technology (DST)**
**Impact**
Affected through its role in supporting research and development projects for studying Himalayan glaciers.
**Action Required**
Continue supporting research and development projects under the NMSHE and the NMSKCC, and the running of the Centers of Excellence at the Universities of Sikkim, Tezpur, and Kashmir.
**Key Stakeholder: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)**
**Impact**
Involved in mitigating risks associated with Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF).
**Action Required**
Implement the National Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP) phase-I for early warning systems in selected states and UTs.
**Key Stakeholder: Research Institutions and Universities**
**Impact**
Involved in conducting research on Himalayan glaciers.
**Action Required**
Continue research efforts and reporting findings to inform policy and mitigation strategies.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE): A program under which the Department of Science and Technology (DST) established Centers of Excellence for Glacial Studies.
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): The ministry that monitors Himalayan glaciers through the National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR).
National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR): An autonomous institute of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) that monitors Himalayan glaciers under the Cryosphere and Climate program.
Sikkim: One of the states where glacial lakes are monitored in real-time and where Centers of Excellence (CoE) for Glacial Studies were established under the National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE).
National Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP): A program initiated by NDMA for GLOF mitigation in Himalayan states and UTs.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 664
TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 3RD DECEMBER, 2025
ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HIMALAYAS
664. DR. INDRA HANG SUBBA:
Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:
(a) whether there is any existing scheme of the Government for investigation and study of
adverse effects of climate change on Himalayas and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the measures taken/being taken to monitor glacier retreat in the Himalayas;
(c) the details of the number of national institutions and universities that have been
involved/funded by the Government in studying Himalayan glaciers;
(d) the details of the number of glaciers in Sikkim that have been monitored in real time;
and
(e) whether the Government has established/proposed to establish any Center of
Excellence for study of Himalayan glaciers and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) Yes Sir. The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through its autonomous institute, the
National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), has been monitoring
Himalayan glaciers under the Cryosphere and Climate program, a component of the
Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER) sub-scheme. Under this program,
NCPOR has been systematically monitoring limited representative glaciers in the
western and eastern Himalaya to understand differential glacial response due to climate
change and its impact on downstream hydrology.
Department of Science and Technology (DST) has supported various research &
development projects for studying Himalayan Glaciers under the National Mission for
Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and National Mission on Strategic
Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC). Recently, the National Glacial Lake
Outburst Floods (GLOF) Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP) phase -I was initiated
by NDMA for implementation initially in four states (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh) and two UT (J&K and Ladakh). NGRMP has a
provision to establish many Early Warning Systems in above said states for
strengthening the mechanism to enhance GLOF resilience through local–level
interventions.(b) Several Indian institutes/universities/organizations funded by the Government of India
through Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Department of Science & Technology
(DST), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Ministry of
Mines (MoM) and Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) monitor Himalayan glaciers for
various scientific studies including glacier retreat and have reported accelerated
heterogeneous mass loss in Himalayan glaciers. The mean retreat rate of Hindu Kush
Himalayan glaciers is 14.9 ± 15.1 meter/annum (m/a); which varies from 12.7 ± 13.2
m/a in Indus, 15.5 ± 14.4 m/a in Ganga and 20.2 ± 19.7 m/a in Brahmaputra River
basins (the figure after ± are the standard deviations or spread in the data). However,
glaciers in the Karakoram region have shown comparatively minor length change (-
1.37 ± 22.8 m/a).
MoES through its autonomous institute, the National Centre for Polar and Ocean
Research (NCPOR) has been monitoring six glaciers in the Chandra basin (2437 km2
area) in western Himalaya since 2013. A state-of-the-art field research station
‘Himansh’ established in Chandra basin and operational since 2016 for conducting
field experiment and expeditions to glaciers. The glacier inventory prepared by
NCPOR for the Chandra basin shows that it has lost about 6% of its glacial area during
last 20 years. Annual rate of retreat of Chandra basin glaciers varies from 13 to 33
meter/year during last decade.
(c) Over more than 20 national institutions/ state and central universities are currently
conducting research on Himalayan glaciers including National Centre for Polar and
Ocean Research (NCPOR)-MoES, Geological Survey of India (GSI), Wadia Institute
of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), G.B. Pant
National Institute of Himalayan Environment (GB-NIHE), Centre for Cryosphere and
Climate Change Studies (C4S) at National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), National
Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute
of Science (IISc), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), University of Kashmir (UoK),
University of Delhi, University of Lucknow, Various Indian Institute of Technologies
(IITs) (Bombay, Roorkee, Ropar, Bhubaneswar, Indore), Various Indian Institute of
Science Education and Research (IISER’s) (Pune, Bhopal), Sikkim University, Centre
for Earth Science and Himalayan Studies (CES & HS), Nagaland University, Central
University of Rajasthan, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Tezpur
University.
(d) Two glacial lakes (South Lhonak and Shako Cho) have been monitored in real time in
Sikkim.
(e) Yes Sir. Three Centers of Excellence (CoE) for Glacial Studies were established at the
Universities of Sikkim, Tezpur and Kashmir by the Department of Science &
Technology (DST), Govt. of India under the National Mission for Sustaining the
Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE).
*****