Glaciers - The Times Of Central Asia

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Water Security

Glacier Melt Threatens Central Asia’s Water Security, Experts Warn at Regional Forum

The accelerating retreat of glaciers poses a serious risk to water security across Central and West Asia, scientists and journalists warned during an online media forum jointly hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) on December 10, according to Asia-Plus. The forum focused on the growing impact of glacial melt in mountain regions, including the Pamirs, Tien Shan, Hindu Kush, and Himalayas, where shrinking ice reserves are increasingly disrupting water supplies for agriculture, energy, and drinking water. A key highlight was the ADB’s Glacier to Farms (G2F) program, presented by senior climate adaptation specialist Chris Dickinson. The initiative, spanning nine countries including Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Georgia, aims to link glacier monitoring with practical, climate-resilient policy measures. Unlike past approaches that primarily diagnosed the problem, G2F offers technical and financial solutions designed to support communities in adapting to climate change. The $3.5 billion initiative, backed in part by $250 million from the Green Climate Fund, leverages a co-financing model that aims to attract $10 in additional investment for every dollar committed. The program envisions a full climate adaptation chain from satellite-based glacier monitoring and mountain observation stations to downstream interventions such as crop insurance, farmer support, and modernization of water infrastructure. “Glaciers are the origin of the entire food and water system,” Dickinson said. “Their rapid retreat threatens lives and livelihoods far beyond mountain regions.” Tajikistan serves as a pilot site for the program due to its heavy reliance on hydropower and its largely mountainous terrain. One of the project's key goals is to enhance the country’s hydrometeorological services and strengthen monitoring of snow cover, glacier movement, landslides, and related hazards. A modern early warning system is being developed for the Panj River basin, combining data on glacial lakes, mudflows, precipitation, and seismic activity. The alerts will be sent to vulnerable communities via mobile networks, complemented by local training programs to ensure proper responses. Forum participants noted that the effects of glacial retreat are already evident. Glaciers in the Tien Shan and Pamir ranges feed the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, vital water sources for Central Asia’s agriculture, energy, and drinking needs. An estimated 74% of the Amu Darya’s flow comes from snow and glacier melt. In the Indus basin, the figure is about 40%. Yet only a small number of the region’s more than 54,000 glaciers are regularly monitored, leaving gaps in early warning systems and long-term planning. Experts from ICIMOD and ADB described glacier melt as a “cascading crisis.” Rising temperatures are fueling more frequent landslides, floods, and mudflows, while droughts reduce crop yields and damage pastures. Glacial lake outburst floods, sudden and destructive releases of water, pose grave risks to nearby settlements. Since the 19th century, the region has recorded around 500 such incidents, and their frequency could triple by the end of this century. Heatwaves and water quality issues further compound the risks. Recent glacial activity in Tajikistan underscored the forum’s urgency. In October, a massive...

Glaciers

Glacier Shift in Tajikistan Triggers Fears of Flood and Landslide

A significant portion of the Didal Glacier in Tajikistan’s Tajikabad district has detached and slid more than five kilometers downslope, according to a report by Russian state news agency TASS, citing the Agency for Hydrometeorology of Tajikistan. Experts from the agency’s Center for Glaciology confirmed that the glacier has continued to shift over the past three days, advancing an additional 72 meters and remaining in an “unstable” state. A field expedition to the Surkhob River basin revealed that the detached ice mass measures between 1.3 and 1.5 kilometers in length, 170-200 meters in width, and 25-50 meters in height. Satellite imagery reviewed by glaciologists confirmed the glacier’s ongoing movement and indicated significant displacement since its initial shift began in September. Experts attribute the detachment to unusually high temperatures during the summer and autumn months. The Geophysical Service of the National Academy of Sciences noted that seismic activity may also be a contributing factor. On November 3, an earthquake struck the region at 01:29 local time, with tremors measuring four points in Dushanbe and six to seven in northern Afghanistan, the location of the epicenter. Scientists believe the combination of warming temperatures and recent seismic shocks has rendered the glacier’s behavior increasingly unpredictable. Officials from the Hydrometeorology Agency warned that continued movement of the Didal Glacier could lead to the formation of glacial lakes and possible outburst floods, endangering downstream settlements and infrastructure. The unstable ice mass also raises the risk of secondary natural hazards such as landslides and mudflows. Monitoring teams are conducting regular field assessments to track developments. Authorities have described the glacier's shift as a broader warning about the urgency of climate adaptation and glacier conservation. Tajikistan, 93 percent of which is mountainous, hosts roughly 14,000 glaciers that supply nearly 60 percent of Central Asia’s water resources. Of these, approximately 1,300 have already melted completely, and the rate of glacial retreat is accelerating. Earlier this year, President Emomali Rahmon warned of the growing threat posed by glacial lake outbursts, noting their potential to destroy villages and infrastructure and potential to cause casualties. He cited climate change, air pollution, and heavy dust deposits as key factors driving glacier loss. A similar incident occurred on October 25, when a large section of the Ismoil Somoni Glacier broke away in the same district. Emergency services quickly contained the situation, though authorities warned that continued rainfall and further collapse remained possible.

Glaciers

Glacier-Dependent Central Asian States to Benefit from ADB Climate Program

On October 29, the Green Climate Fund approved $250 million for Glaciers to Farms, a major adaptation initiative led by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to build climate-resilient water and agricultural systems in glacier-dependent regions of Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Pakistan. The funding, provided mostly as grants, will complement a broader $3.25 billion investment by ADB over the next decade. The program spans nine countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. These states rely heavily on glacier- and snow-fed rivers for agriculture, drinking water, and electricity. Accelerated glacial melt poses a direct threat to ecosystems and rural livelihoods, particularly in areas where one in four jobs depends on agriculture. By improving irrigation efficiency, expanding water storage, and investing in watershed management, the program seeks to reduce the growing frequency of droughts and floods linked to glacial melt. Glaciers to Farms will focus on four major glacier-fed river basins: the Naryn and Pyanj in Central Asia, the Kura in the South Caucasus, and the Swat in Pakistan. These basins cover about 27 million hectares and are home to an estimated 13 million people. The program will support glacier and climate assessments, upgrade monitoring networks, and introduce early warning systems to help communities prepare for glacial lake outburst floods and prolonged droughts. Beyond infrastructure, Glaciers to Farms will strengthen the capacity of local banks to finance agricultural enterprises, particularly those led by women, as part of its inclusive development approach. Climate-induced glacial retreat is a pressing concern for Central Asia, where glaciers supply up to 70 percent of river flows. The region contains more than 4,500 glacial lakes, many formed as a result of retreating ice. These lakes increase the risk of natural disasters such as lake outburst floods, avalanches, and landslides, threatening vulnerable mountain communities. Recognizing the urgency, the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2025 the International Year of Glacier Preservation. Tajikistan hosted the International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Dushanbe in May, highlighting the region’s central role in global climate adaptation efforts.

Glaciers

Massive Glacier Collapse Reported on Mount Ismoil Somoni in Tajikistan

A large section of glacier broke away from Mount Ismoil Somoni in Tajikistan’s Tajikabad district on October 25, according to Asia-Plus, citing the Committee for Emergency Situations (CoES). The incident occurred around 11:00 a.m. near the village of Safedobi. The CoES reported that the detached ice mass measured approximately two kilometers in length, 25 meters in height, and 150-200 meters in width. It slid down a nearby gorge, prompting swift intervention. By 2:00 p.m., the situation was under control, with no casualties or significant damage reported. However, officials warned that ongoing rainfall and the risk of further glacier collapse could endanger agriculture in the nearby Gulrez area. Emergency services remain on high alert and are monitoring the site closely. The Ismoil Somoni glacier, one of the largest high-altitude ice masses in Tajikistan, is critical to regional water systems. Experts say the latest collapse is yet another indicator of the accelerating impact of climate change in the Pamir Mountains. Continued glacier retreat could have serious long-term environmental and economic consequences, particularly for water availability used in irrigation and hydropower generation. A recent study by the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) found that the once-stable Pamir-Karakoram glaciers have been losing mass rapidly since 2018. Researchers, led by Francesca Pelliccotti, observed a 40-centimeter reduction in snow depth and a one-third decline in annual precipitation, conditions they described as marking a “point of no return.” The Pamir and Karakoram glaciers feed the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, which support agriculture and energy production for millions across Central Asia. As glacial melt accelerates, inflow into these rivers has dropped sharply, threatening food and water security across the region. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that farmers in Tajikistan’s Vahdat district are already grappling with melting glaciers and growing irrigation demands. The recent incident on Mount Ismoil Somoni reinforces the urgency of addressing climate-related risks, which are now directly impacting both ecosystems and livelihoods across the region.

Glaciers

Learning About Glaciers: Scientists Extract Ice Cores in Tajikistan

A group of international scientists is on a complex, arduous expedition to learn more about the glaciers of the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan, drilling and extracting two deep ice cores in what the team descibes as a race against the impact of global warming. Scientists from the Swiss-funded PAMIR Project and their Tajik partners are working at an altitude of 5,800 meters on the Kon Chukurbashi ice cap, taking ice samples down to the bedrock at an estimated depth of just over 100 meters. “The Pamirs remain to date one of the last major high-altitude regions where no deep ice core has ever been retrieved,” the PAMIR Project said in a statement. “If many glaciers in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan still seem resilient in the face of global warming, scientists do not know how long this will last.” The two-week expedition began on September 24. If successful, it will secure environmental information from air bubbles and chemical trace concentrations and isotopes, and possibly organisms trapped in the ice, and help future generations anticipate and adapt to changes in Earth’s climate and ecosystems, the project said. The expedition is being coordinated by the University of Fribourg in Switzerland and conducted by the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan along with Swiss, Japanese, and American universities. Because of the extreme altitude, team members had prepared for gradual acclimatization with a plan for a base camp and a camp at higher altitude. Logistical difficulties and the challenges of site access have prevented such an expedition in the past. The Pamir glaciers are a riddle to scientists who have observed both health and decay in the reaction of the high-altitude ecosystems to climate change. Various theories, including more wind-induced precipitation at high elevations and summertime cooling, have been put forward. But field measurements are lacking and the theories have not been tested against scientific data. At an international conference on glacier preservation in Dushanbe this year, President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan called for the establishment of a regional lab to study the topic. Most of Central Asia’s glaciers are in Tajikistan. The United Nations said last month that some 1,000 glaciers out of the total number of 14,000 that have existed in Tajikistan in recent decades have disappeared and many small ones are expected to vanish in the next 30-40 years. A recent study published in the Communications Earth & Environment journal noted the relative stability of some glaciers in Central Asia, but said there had been a recent drop in glacier health in the Northwestern Pamirs following significantly lower snowfall and snow depth since 2018. One of the authors of that study is Evan Miles, a Switzerland-based glaciologist who is leading the current PAMIR Project expedition. “This ice holds hundreds and possibly even thousands of years of physical records of snowfall, temperature, dust, and atmospheric chemistry,” Miles said, according to the project statement. “We are racing against time to retrieve it before climate-change induced melt damages these natural archives forever.” Of the two ice...

Climate Change

Melting Glaciers Threaten Tajik Agriculture

Climate change in Tajikistan is no longer a future concern, it is an immediate crisis. Farmers across the country are grappling with the effects of melting glaciers, prolonged heatwaves, and dust storms that are disrupting traditional agricultural cycles. In Vahdat district, the Usto Murod farm has adopted a dual-harvest strategy to mitigate risk. “If one crop fails, the second helps cover the costs,” says farmer Galatmo Alieva. But increasingly rapid glacier melt has doubled irrigation needs from three rounds per season to six. Heatwaves and dust storms have further damaged crops, while honey yields have plummeted from 25 kilograms per hive to just five. To cope, Alieva’s family installed a biogas plant with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), saving between $550 and $1,100 annually. However, broader adaptation measures remain financially out of reach. Loan interest rates hover around 31%, and water-efficient drip irrigation is used only in greenhouses. Unequal Access, Dwindling Resources Other farmers face even harsher realities. Rain-fed plots deliver meager returns, pastures are drying up, and water distribution remains inequitable. “Those at the canal head take all the water,” laments farmer Bakhtiyor. Engineer Alexander Pirov warns that accelerating glacier melt threatens not only agriculture but also the country’s hydropower sector. By 2080, Tajikistan is expected to experience 12 additional days per year with temperatures exceeding 40°C, compared to the 1986-2005 average. Already, 70% of Tajikistan’s arable land is considered degraded. High Costs, Limited Support Water-saving technologies could significantly improve crop yields and farmer incomes, yet the upfront costs, estimated at $5,000 or more, remain prohibitive for most rural families. As climate risks intensify, Tajikistan’s rural population is increasingly vulnerable. Without targeted investments in adaptation, infrastructure, and equitable resource distribution, the country’s agricultural backbone may begin to fracture under the weight of a rapidly changing environment.