The HKH Snow Update 2025 highlights a significant decline in seasonal snow across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, with snow persistence 23.6% below normal — the lowest in 23 years. This trend, now in its third consecutive year, threatens water security for nearly two billion people. All twelve major river …
The Himalayas are warming at a rate higher than the global average. A recent study documents how this has affected cropping patterns and vegetation in the past 10 years. The questionnaire -based study examined changes people observed between the altitudes of 600 metres and 2,200 metres in the Himalayas. For …
Bangalore: A comprehensive study of Isro satellite images reveals 75% of Himalayan glaciers are on the retreat, with the average shrinkage being 3.75km during the 15 years under study. The grim findings come after raging controversy over claims in the 2007 IPCC report of Himalayan glaciers disappearing by 2035, which …
It has been speculated for long but now experts have confirmed it with substantive evidence. The diversity of birdlife in the Himalayan region is among the richest in the world. Prof Trevor Price, one the most respected scientists studying evolution of birds, has stated:
The Himalayan glaciers are a valuable national and global resource – they possess the largest concentration of ice outside of the Polar Regions; regulate global climate; feed most of northern India’s perennial rivers; and are an important indicator of climate change. However, this source of water is not permanent, as …
The Himalayan glaciers are a valuable national and global resource – they possess the largest concentration of ice outside of the Polar Regions; regulate global climate; feed most of northern India’s perennial rivers; and are an important indicator of climate change. However, this source of water is not permanent, as …
With the increase in temperature, the glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan have started melting, resulting in significant increase in flows in rivers, streams and nullahs. Usually, the temperature increases in Himalayan, Hindukush and Karakuram ranges of mountains soon after March, but this time the weather remained cold until last week due to …
Poor access to appropriate technologies due to difficult topographies and tough mountain conditions is one of the major causes of poverty, drudgery and natural resources degradation not only in the Indian Central Himalaya, but also in other parts of the Hindu-Kush Himalaya. Of late, deve- lopment planners have realized the …
Picrorhiza (Picrorhiza kurrooa Royle ex Benth.) is a small, perennial herb widely used in traditional as well as modern system of medicine. This plant grows in Himalayan region at elevations ranging from 3000 to 5000 m above the sea level and listed as endangered species due to extensive extraction of …
Increased frequency of earthquakes in the Sumatra–Andaman region in the past 10 years reflects time clustering of earthquakes and does not necessarily imply low recurrence interval of earthquake in the region. Time clustering of earthquakes can occur either due to the stress change (either through static or dynamic stress transfer) …
This document details the Black Carbon Research Initiative launched by India as part of the National Carbonaceous Aerosols Programme (NCAP). This joint initiative of several government ministries & leading research institutions builds on the existing work and sets out the science programme to respond to the scientific questions surrounding Black …
A public hearing will be held in Dehradun on March 25 and 26 on the subject of impact of climate change on life and livelihood in the Himalayan States. According to the founder and chairperson of Himalaya Paryavaran Shiksha Sansthan, Uttarkashi Suresh Bhai and Arvind Darmoda, who are members of …
Palynological studies have provided a good overview of the palaeovegetational and palaeoclimatic scenario of the Indian subcontinent. However, little has been explored in this regard from the glaciated sites of the Himalayan region. In recent years, some palynological data have been generated from a few glaciated sites of Western Himalaya …
Black carbon landing on snow may be accelerating the melting of Himalayan glaciers more than atmospheric soot or even greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), according to a study.
In an extensive survey to Garhwal Himalaya and arid soil of western Rajasthan, twenty four leguminous nitrogen fixing species were identified including seven herbs, nine shrubs, four climbers and four tree species which were screened for nodulation and nitrogen fixation activity between 400-2100m altitudes.
The containerised seedling production technology, especially use of polypacks/root trainers is dependent on suitable growing media for raising quality seedlings. In the present investigation, experiments were carried out to find out the suitable potting mixture for raising Cedrus deodara and Cupressus torulosa seedlings.
Around half of the world’s population depends directly or indirectly on mountain resources for different products and services. Having a means for economic valuation of these services will help increase recognition of their value and provide a way of ensuring fair distribution of the costs and benefits of conservation and …
GLACIERS, reservoirs of fresh water on the earth, are assumed to be major indicators of climate change. Since their melting contributes to drinking water, water for agriculture and hydropower in densely populated regions in South and Central Asia, glaciers have become a major concern for these regions. Himalayan glaciers are …
The objective of this report is to explore how river basins in the Himalayan region, and particularly shared water resources, can foster cooperation and security between Bangladesh, China, India and Nepal. The conventional view is that depleting water resources, growing problem of pollution, uncertain risks posed by climate change together …
