Int’l workshop ends urging increased monitoring of Himalayan glaciers
Scientists from various countries who gathered in Kathmandu for an international workshop on the impact of climate change on the Himalaya glaciers have concluded that there is a major need for better long-term monitoring of glaciers in the Himalayas using direct observations in the field.
They said this was necessary “to complement remote sensing techniques, as well as for improved sharing of data among the different countries in the region”.
More than 70 international scientists met at the three-day workshop on ‘Cryosphere and Hazards for the Hindu Kush Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau’ from 31 March-2 April and discussed the problems of glaciers, glacial fluctuations, and loss of permafrost in the mountains and plateaus of the Himalayas.
The workshop came up with a six-point conclusion, urging the governments of the Himalayan countries to facilitate data generation and sharing, and to identify at least one model glacier in each country for long-term field-based study.
“A standard method should be developed and used for monitoring and assessing glaciers across the region to facilitate comparative analysis. Development of basin-wide water scenarios should be encouraged for all major water basins in the region,” the scientists at the workshop said.
The workshop also brought together the best geoscience expertise available for the region. Experts brainstormed on new ideas and procedures for obtaining information about the status and trends of snow and ice resources in this extended mountain area.
The meeting, held at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), was jointly organised by the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), Global Land Ice Measurements from Space Regional Centre for Southwest Asia (GLIMS), Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional Study (MAIRS), Institute for Development and Innovation (IDI), Mountain Research Initiative (MRI), and ICIMOD; with participants mainly from the USA, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and other Asian countries. The event was designed to engage scientists in cross-border scientific dialogue about the problems and possibilities associated with snow and ice in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. nepalnews.com ag Apr 03 08
