Scientists predict that Yala Glacier, one of Nepal’s most researched glaciers, will disappear by the 2040s.
Within the borders of Langtang National Park, in Nepal’s Langtang area, sits the magnificent Yala Glacier.
It is located close to the Tibetan border, north of Kathmandu, and is a well-liked trekker and mountaineer destination because of its accessibility and visual splendor.
With an approximate elevation of 5,500 meters (18,045 feet), the glacier is one of Nepal’s more approachable high-altitude glaciers.
This glacier holds immense significance for scientists worldwide who study the cryosphere.
Yala Glacier is one of the few glaciers in the Hindu Kush region with accurate measurements. Researchers upload yearly data to the World Glacier Monitoring Service database to represent all glaciers in the area.
Yala Glacier: Reduction in area
Between 1974 and 2021, the Yala glacier in Nepal had a dramatic 36% drop in area and a 680-meter retreat.
Scientists at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) have also noted a considerable fall in its elevation, which decreased from 5,170m to 5,750m in 2011.
The Global Glacier Casualty List (GGCL), which emphasizes the growing effects of climate change on Himalayan glaciers and the cryosphere, only includes this glacier in the entire Himalayas.
The frozen portion of the Earth, which includes snow, ice, and frozen ground, is known as the cryosphere.
Scientists at WMO and UNESCO said, “In 2023, the glacier suffered the largest mass loss in the five decades of record keeping. It was the second consecutive year in which all regions in the world with glaciers reported ice loss.
Environmental Impact of Melting Glaciers
The swift melting of glaciers, such as the Yala Glacier in Nepal, significantly impacts ecosystems and human livelihoods.
Glaciers and ice sheets store about 70% of Earth’s freshwater, making them essential for sustaining ecosystems and human life.
More than 240 million people rely on the cryosphere for their survival in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region alone.
This glacial retreat also increases the risk of glacial Lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Rapid glacier melting creates unstable glacial lakes that have the potential to suddenly rupture and send destructive floods downstream.
The melting of glaciers facilitates a climatic feedback loop. When ice melts, it reduces the Earth’s reflectivity, or albedo, causing the planet to absorb more sunlight instead of reflecting it, which accelerates global warming.
This domino effect underscores the urgent need for climate action to protect our world and its delicate balance.
Initiatives to Protect Glacier
Given its notable retreat and inclusion on the Global Glacier Casualty List (GGCL), Nepal’s Yala Glacier efforts complement larger national and regional plans to address glacier and cryosphere issues.
Organizations such as the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) use Yala Glacier as a benchmark location for long-term monitoring.
This includes calculating the rates of glacier retreat, studying mass balance, and assessing the effects of climate change.To comprehend changes in the size, volume, and dynamics of the glacier, researchers employ field-based methods and remote sensing.
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