Strengthening Asia’s Resilience Against Accelerated Glacial Melt

ADB is working with partners to develop new approaches and financing solutions to make infrastructure resilient, protect ecosystems, and enhance the well-being of communities amid the impacts of accelerated glacial melt.

The Building Adaptation and Resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalayas initiative helps developing member countries like Nepal and Bhutan develop climate resilient infrastructure by strengthening multi-hazard risk assessment and developing innovative financing solutions. The Government of Germany (through its Asia-Pacific Climate Finance Fund) and the Government of Switzerland (through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation) have recently contributed $2 million and $2.22 million, respectively, to this initiative. Switzerland will also provide technical expertise.

The Resilient River Basin Initiative applies a long-term programmatic approach to strengthen governance and bankable projects to ensure river basins are resilient, healthy and support the wellbeing of economies and communities.

The Glaciers to Farms regional program aims to strengthen the resilience of downstream communities and food systems in Central and West Asia. It focuses on water management, sustainable land practices, agricultural value chains and climate-resilient social infrastructure.

The Water pillar of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program facilitates cross-sector dialogue and investments for mutually beneficial outcomes, with an initial focus on the Aral Sea Basin.

Transcript

Bhutan is the world’s first “carbon negative” country.

Its dense forests absorb more carbon dioxide than the country emits.  

Hydroelectricity powers the economy.

Yet it is already suffering the consequences of climate change.

Higher temperatures in the Hindu Kush Himalayas are accelerating the melting of glaciers, raising water levels in several glacial lakes.

This poses flood risks to areas downstream, and the risks could be magnified if combined with other hazards like earthquakes, landslides and climate-induced heavier rains.

Standupper
Masatsugu Asakawa
ADB President

“Glacial melt is increasing risks here in Bhutan and in many countries in Asia. ADB is helping to build resilience against these impacts across the region.”

Over 2 billion people in Asia who rely on rivers fed by glaciers and snow for drinking water, irrigation, and energy could be affected by accelerated glacial melt.

Glacial lake outburst floods or GLOFs are already happening, including in Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan.  

While at first, there will be too much water, eventually, glacial retreat will mean too little water.

This will threaten food supplies, water supply and sanitation systems, and hydropower.

ADB is working with partners to develop new approaches and financing solutions to make infrastructure resilient against the impacts of accelerated glacial melt, and protect lives and livelihoods across the region.

At the same time, the world needs to move away from fossil fuels to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and slow down glacial retreat.

Standupper
Masatsugu Asakawa
ADB President

“We are not in a race against each other. We are in a race against time. If we work together, we will succeed.”