**Executive Summary**
This document addresses a parliamentary question regarding the adverse effects of climate change on the Himalayas. It outlines the monitoring and research efforts undertaken by various Indian institutions and organizations, coordinated by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and other governmental bodies, to study glacial retreat and its impacts. The document mentions the establishment of early warning systems and research stations and the monitoring of glacial lakes.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Monitoring and Research 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.
* The Department of Science and Technology (DST) supports research & development projects under the National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC).
* Over 20 national institutions/ state and central universities are conducting research on Himalayan glaciers.
* **Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) Risk Mitigation:**
* 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 Early Warning Systems in the above said states.
* **Glacial Retreat Rates:**
* The mean retreat rate of Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers is 14.9 ± 15.1 meter/annum (m/a), with variations in Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra River basins.
* Glaciers in the Karakoram region have shown comparatively minor length change (-1.37 ± 22.8 m/a).
* **Chandra Basin Monitoring:**
* MoES through NCPOR has been monitoring six glaciers in the Chandra basin since 2013.
* The glacier inventory prepared by NCPOR shows that Chandra basin glaciers have lost about 6% of their glacial area during the last 20 years.
* Annual rate of retreat of Chandra basin glaciers varies from 13 to 33 meter/year during last decade.
* **Research Infrastructure:**
* A state-of-the-art field research station ‘Himansh' is operational in Chandra basin since 2016.
* Two glacial lakes (South Lhonak and Shako Cho) have been monitored in real time in Sikkim.
* Three Centers of Excellence (CoE) for Glacial Studies were established at the Universities of Sikkim, Tezpur and Kashmir.
**Impact Analysis**
**Government of India (MoES, DST, NDMA):**
* **Impact:** Required to provide funding and coordination for ongoing monitoring, research, and mitigation efforts.
* **Action Required:** Continue to support and expand research programs, maintain early warning systems, and implement GLOF risk mitigation measures.
**National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR):**
* **Impact:** Responsible for monitoring Himalayan glaciers and maintaining research infrastructure in Chandra basin.
* **Action Required:** Continue monitoring activities, analyze data on glacial retreat, and maintain the "Himansh" research station.
**State Governments of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, J&K, Ladakh:**
* **Impact:** Involved in the implementation of GLOF risk mitigation programs and establishing early warning systems.
* **Action Required:** Collaborate with NDMA and other agencies to implement NGRMP, establish and maintain early warning systems.
**Universities and Research Institutions:**
* **Impact:** Conducting research on Himalayan glaciers and providing scientific data for climate change studies.
* **Action Required:** Continue research activities, analyze data on glacial dynamics, and provide scientific expertise for policy development.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE): A mission by the Department of Science & Technology to study Himalayan Glaciers, and fund Centres of Excellence for Glacial Studies at Universities of Sikkim, Tezpur and Kashmir.
National Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP): A program initiated by NDMA in multiple states and union territories to implement early warning systems to mitigate risks from glacial lake outburst floods.
National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR): Autonomous institute of the Ministry of Earth Sciences monitoring Himalayan glaciers under the Cryosphere and Climate program, a component of the Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER) sub-scheme.
Himalayas: The mountainous region which is the subject of study regarding the impact of climate change on its glaciers.
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): The ministry that oversees the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR).
Ministry of Earth Sciences
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: ADVERSE EFFECTS
OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HIMALAYAS
प्रव तथ: 03 DEC 2025 6:57PM by PIB Delhi
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.
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.
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.
Two glacial lakes (South Lhonak and Shako Cho) have been monitored in real time in Sikkim.
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).
NKR/AK
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