International Affairs / UN Designated Years — UPSC Mains Model Answer

Glaciers cover roughly 10% of Earth's land surface and store an estimated 69% of the world's fresh water, making them indispensable to river systems, agriculture, and drinking water security. Their accelerating retreat under rising temperatures threatens water availability for hundreds of millions of people, particularly in Asia and South America.

The Hindu Kush Himalayan region holds the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar regions, earning it the designation 'Third Pole.' These glaciers feed ten major river systems — including the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra — sustaining livelihoods across South and Southeast Asia. Accelerated glacial melt in this region raises compounded risks: short-term flooding, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and long-term water scarcity.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), alongside UNESCO, serves as a lead coordinating agency for IYGP 2025, leveraging its mandate over climate observation and hydrological monitoring. This institutional anchoring ensures that scientific data on glacier mass balance feeds directly into climate adaptation policy frameworks such as the Paris Agreement's adaptation goals.

Effective glacier preservation demands transboundary cooperation, particularly in shared river basins. National adaptation plans must integrate cryosphere monitoring, early warning systems for GLOFs, and community-level resilience measures. The IYGP provides a diplomatic window to strengthen multilateral commitments and mobilise climate finance for vulnerable mountain communities.