Climate Change, Glacier Retreat, and Water Security in Ladakh: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Abstract

The cold, dry, high-altitude region of Ladakh in the Indian Himalaya relies nearly entirely on water from glaciers and snowmelt - hence its inclusion among the more climate-sensitive parts of the region. The combination of these effects—warming, changing precipitation, melting glaciers, shrinking snowpack and the increased frequency of extreme weather events—is altering the water balance in the area and threatening water security for the future