Himalayan Climate Change, Challenges and Adaptations: A Review

Abstract

Global temperatures have risen by 1–1.2°C over the past century, with India seeing a 0.7°C increase. The Himalayas are also experiencing warming, primarily due to land use changes, greenhouse gas emissions, and increased aerosols from mining and construction. This warming is altering the Asian monsoon and pressure systems that influence Himalayan climate, leading to regional variations in monsoon duration and intensity. While some areas may see up to a 20% decline in rainfall, others may experience a 20–30% increase. Climate change is also intensifying the hydrological cycle, contributing to more frequent and severe natural disasters such as floods, droughts, wildfires, and pollution. The UN 2023 Water Conference emphasized the importance of healthy freshwater ecosystems in mitigating these impacts through cooling, water retention, and carbon storage. In the Himalayas, these changes pose serious risks to agriculture, local communities, and ecosystems—especially in areas like Lahaul-Spiti and Ladakh—due to extreme weather events, glacier melt, glacial lake outbursts, and shifting monsoon patterns. The limitation of this work is that it provides broad regional insights on Himalayan climate change but lacks site-specific data, detailed socioeconomic analysis, and quantification of uncertainties.