Dirty Ice Accelerates Himalayan Glacier Melt and Flood Risk

Scientists are deeply concerned that dirty ice from pollution is accelerating Himalayan glacier melt, increasing the risk of catastrophic floods like the one that recently struck Nepal. Soot and other dark particles reduce the ice's ability to reflect sunlight, causing it to absorb more heat. Black carbon from vehicles, coal plants, and industry settles on glaciers, lowering their albedo effect. This pollution may have caused up to a third of Himalayan glacier mass loss from 2007 to 2016, and meltwater can weaken glacier structure, leading to sudden collapses. Unlike carbon dioxide, black carbon stays in the atmosphere for only days or weeks, so reducing emissions could bring quick results. A 2020 COVID lockdown study showed snow melt in the Himalayas dropped by 40 percent due to cleaner air.