Asia

The glaciers in Asia are known to hold the largest supply of frozen water outside the polar areas. They are an invaluable water resource, feeding many of the world’s great rivers, including the Ganges.

This water resource, however, is at risk because of the current trend of global warming. A study reveals that the Asian mountain glaciers are expected to lose over one third of their mass by the end of this century as a result of global warming, affecting millions of people who rely on them for fresh water.

^1. Kraaijenbrink, P.D.A., et al. (2017). Impact of a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius on Asia’s glaciers. Nature, 549, 257–260, doi:10.1038/nature23878

Sabalan Glacier, Iran | Klaus Thymann (2014)

The glacier region of Sabalan, in the northwestern part of Iran, rests on an inactive stratovolcano, which rises to a height of 4,811 metres . The highest peak of the mountain, Mount Sabalan, is a crater lake, which is covered with ice from September to June.