Concurrent studies are currently being carried out in Solu-kumbhu of Nepal, Gangotri of India, and Yangtse river basin of China, to assess effects of global warming on local environment.

Glaciers and glacial lakes, which dot the regions, will serve as ready reckoners in estimating the extent of the effect of climatic change in the areas. Retreating glaciers and glacial lakes suggest that the threat is rising. The studies, being undertaken by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Nepal with the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DM&H) as its technical partner, involve installing Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in selected locations, with two AWS likely to be installed in Solukhumbu. "We plan to study glaciers in stipulated locations in three countries. This involves installing AWS. The data compiled over time will shed light on emerging climatological scenario," said Sandeep Chamling Rai, Climate Change Officer of WWF-Nepal.

The $1.5 lakh project is billed to go a long way in averting flood-related disasters and create a database to predict what is in store for the region from the view of the climatological and hydrological equilibrium. The ultimate aim is to find the speed at which global warming is adversely impacting the glaciers and glacial lakes, which are the sources of region’s rivers.

The DM&H technical team was dispatched to Solukhumbhu last week to scout for suitable spots to instal AWS in Khumbhu and Ngozumpa areas. Similar efforts are underway in the Chhoti Sigri region of Gangotri and an undisclosed location along the Yangtse river basin in China, with researchers likely to be stationed on the Tibetan plateau. While studies in Nepal and India are being restricted to recording hydrological, meteorological, climatological and atmospheric data in and around the stipulated places, the additional component in the case of China is a bid to link headwaters with livelihood along the Yangtse basin. "Data ranging from meteorological to atmospheric pressure could throw up vital clues to the effect of global warming in Nepal, India and China, which have over 200 glacial lakes and glaciers," Rai said. "We expect to evolve suitable models to minimise the threat to life and property from the retreating glaciers and glacial lakes," said Om Ratna Bajracharya, Senior Divisional Hydrologist at Snow and Glacier Unit under DH&M. "This is expected to go a long way in enabling the Met office in forecasting flood should highland snow melt at a faster pace."