Melting Himalayan Glaciers May Magnify Water Scarcity

Melting Himalayan Glaciers May Magnify Water Scarcity

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Many politically unstable areas of South Asia are “water-stressed,” meaning the areas are facing water scarcity due to poor infrastructure or simply lacking enough water to meet demand. The potential impacts of climate change on water scarcity could further inflame political tensions, finds a new report, “Himalayan Glaciers: Climate Change, Water Resources, and Water Security,” released by the National Research Council and funded by the Central Intelligence Agency.

The report examines how changes to Himalayan glaciers could affect the area’s river systems, water supplies and population. The region’s glaciers cross eight countries and are the source of drinking water, irrigation and hydroelectric power for roughly 1.5 billion people.