Experts call for steps to stem glacial loss to achieve water security

Islamabad:A high-level World Day of Glaciers event here on Friday brought together experts and government officials to address the severe threats that Pakistan's glaciers are facing due to climate change.

The participants emphasised the vital role glaciers play in the country’s water security, economic stability and climate resilience, and called for urgent, evidence-based policy actions to stem the loss of glacial mass to ensure sustainability and achieve socio-economic stability.

The event, organised by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination in collaboration with UNDP Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority, and other stakeholders, underscored the critical importance of preserving glaciers as part of Pakistan’s broader climate resilience efforts.

Finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, the chief guest at the event, stressed that climate change is a critical survival issue for Pakistan, highlighting the urgent need for all stakeholders to join forces through adaptation and mitigation policies across all socio-economic sectors. He expressed growing concern over the rapid melting of glaciers in Pakistan and its wide-ranging socio-economic and environmental impacts.

“The glaciers in Pakistan are crucial to the country’s water supply, with over 60% of our water originating from glacial meltwater that feeds the Indus River. However, rising global temperatures are causing these glaciers to shrink at an alarming rate, threatening to destabilize the country’s already stressed water resources,” he said.

The minister said the Ministry of Finance would fully support the Ministry of Climate Change and warned that failure to address the climate crisis would severely harm the economy. He urged the international community to take coordinated action to address the global issue of glacial melting, which affects many regions worldwide, including Pakistan.

State minister for climate change Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal highlighted the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government’s prioritisation of glacier conservation. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing the ongoing threats to glaciers, especially in Pakistan’s northern regions, and emphasized the critical role these glaciers play in water security, economic stability, and climate resilience.

“Pakistan’s glaciers, particularly in regions like Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, are vital to the country’s water supply, providing over 60% of the water to the Indus River Basin. However, these glaciers are rapidly melting due to climate change, leading to significant risks for both water security and the livelihoods of millions of people,” Dr. Kharal remarked.