E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, MAR 18 - Irresponsible reporting and slipshod and unscientific research have spread confusion about glacial melting and that it has posed great threat to communities, said a geo-ecology expert on Wednesday.

“There is no long-term information on glacier melting in the Himalayas. In-depth study and vigorous scientific research are a must to make a statement that the glaciers are melting and pose threats to the vulnerable communities,” said Professor Jack D. Ives from the UK during a talk programme in the Capital.

The talk programme was organised by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Knowledge Forum.

Ives, who is now engaged with ICIMOD glacier risk inventory, said that there has been wrong reporting regarding glacial melting even in Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

“How could someone come up with the results determining the degree of danger the glacier lake outbursts flood (GLOF) in the Himalayas causes without relevant research and data?” asked Ives.

Lack of cooperation among the countries and their reluctance to share scientific data are to blame for negative reporting on GLOF and its potential threat, according to the professor. “Himalayas supply fresh water to around 1.3 billion people living across South East Asia. So, there is a need for intensive research and studies to refer to the case that glacial lakes are melting at an alarming rate as predicted by different experts.”

Experts from the United Nations and the World Bank in 1999 predicted that an enormous disaster was in waiting that would kill five million people in case of Lake Sarez in the Pamir Mountains of eastern Tajikistan burst. However, few days after the prediction, an investigating team of geophysicists, engineers, geologists and geographers concluded that the risk of catastrophic outburst was minimal, said Ives, who was the member of the investigating team. “There are lot of misinformation regarding data on glaciers and most of the times the predictions spread a sense of terror among local communities and concerned stakeholders. Work should be carried out to provide alternatives to minimise the risks.”   

Citing another instance, Ives said, “The statement from the World Wildlife Fund and IPCC about melting of glaciers in the Himalayas that they would disappear by 2035 or sooner were baseless. There was never any scientific basis whatsoever for such claims. 

“It is true that glaciers are melting but to make random predictions is unwise,” said Ives.

Posted on: 2010-03-18 12:00

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