Melting Glaciers Pose Threat to Mountain Villages in Pakistan

Villages in Pakistan’s northern mountains face an existential threat as melting glaciers, driven by global warming, put their future at risk. Tariq Jamil, a local activist in Hassanabad, is leading efforts to mobilize his community against the dangers posed by unstable lakes formed by melting glacier ice. Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) can wreak havoc, causing deadly floods that devastate infrastructure and fertile land. With the Himalayan glaciers predicted to lose up to 75% of their ice by the century’s end, communities downstream are in peril.

Jamil, armed with data from sensors and cameras, updates his village on the glacier’s movement. Hassanabad is part of the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) II project, a UN-backed initiative to help vulnerable communities adapt to the impacts of melting glaciers. Pakistan, at high risk from GLOFs, faces challenges in securing funding for adaptation measures. The GLOF II project, which ends in 2025, is considered a global benchmark for regions grappling with similar threats.