Why are glaciers at the moment such an urgent focus?
Glacier changes have a major influence both locally and globally. They play a crucial role in the global climate – they reflect the incoming solar radiation by the “Albedo effect”, and their melt contributes to the increase in sea level. The intergovernmental committee for climate change (IPCC), the UN body for the evaluation of science in connection with climate change, recently began mountain glacier alongside Greenland and Antarctic. But glaciers change – they step back and lose the mass in different rates. In parts of the Himalaya and the Andes, these rates are among the highest in the world and this affects water resources and the danger potential. In the short term, the melting water increases, which can appear like a positive thing – but as soon as these glaciers disappear, part of this water source will have disappeared.
I have met families in remote Himalaya regions that are now going long distances to get access to drinking water. Local communities in dry Himalaya design adaptation techniques such as irrigation channels, artificial glaciers or ice stupas to deal with a lack of water. On the other hand, as glaciers, they leave lakes that can suddenly burst, which leads to floods that destroy entire villages in a few minutes. These are known as Glofs -Glacier Lake -Outburst -Floods.
Can you explain how important it is to integrate local knowledge alongside scientific data?
The UNESCO International Geoscientific Program project “Himalaya glaciers and risks for local communities“I allowed myself to build scientific research with practical support in the community and capacity. One of the main goals was to understand the risk in connection with glaciers and train the local population so that they could monitor these risks themselves. Another goal was to integrate local knowledge into this process only through water resources, but also about the risks.
The greatest achievement for me was to build capacity. We have trained local students and employees from Asian countries – Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan – but also South America – Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. These young scientists learned how to map glaciers and glacier lakes using satellite images, monitor them on site, evaluate potential dangers and collect local knowledge to support their communities. For me, IGCP makes it so important – it's not just about research, but also about enable people with the knowledge they need to manage the effects of climate change.