The Himalayan disaster: a Chinese academician's study reveals the mechanisms of global warming on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau
The catastrophe that claimed tens of thousands of lives has forced the scientific community to take a fresh look at the processes unfolding in the world’s most climate sensitive region. The Himalayas and the Qinghai Xizang Plateau are not just the “roof of the world” – they are a giant natural barometer that registers every fraction of a degree of warming. The study led by Academician Yao Tandong of the Chinese Academy of Sciences did not merely establish the mechanism of the glacier collapse; it revealed a systemic threat: accelerated glacial melting in this region is becoming a dangerous new trend, capable of fundamentally altering the hydrological and ecological balance across Asia.
On 26 August, a rapidly spreading chain landslide occurred in Nepal, in border areas and at the Gyirong Port in the Xizang Autonomous Region of southwest China, triggered by the collapse of a high altitude glacier. Tens of thousands of people died, many more are still missing, and rescue operations continue. This deadly catastrophe prompted scientists to investigate the causes and issue warnings about warming on the plateau. Immediately after the tragedy, the second scientific expedition to the Qinghai Xizang Plateau and the Department of Science and Technology of the Xizang Plateau conducted joint research to determine the cause of the glacier collapse.
Yao Tandong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and head of the expedition, noted the plateau’s heightened sensitivity to climate change, which leads to rapid glacial melting and more frequent ice avalanches. “Climate change has an amplifying effect on very high altitude areas, especially above 5,000 metres – the rate of temperature rise increases with altitude. At present, the Qinghai Xizang Plateau is warming twice as fast as the global average. At elevations above 5,000 metres, data already indicate that the warming rate can be three times the average. This rapid warming accelerates glacier melting, causing meltwater to seep through surface cracks to the glacier base. If the glacier lies on loose soil, its structure may collapse; if on bedrock, it may slide. Either scenario can trigger an ice avalanche,” Yao explained.
The Qinghai Xizang Plateau and its surrounding areas form the largest glacier region outside the polar zones. According to data published on 21 March last year by the research team from the second expedition, this “water tower” contains nearly 110,000 glaciers covering about 98,000 square kilometres, with a total ice volume of 10,100 cubic kilometres. However, over the past five decades, total ice volume has decreased by 20 percent, and glacier area has shrunk by 18 percent.
Chinese scientists divide glaciers into two types: continental and maritime. According to Yao, the fractured glacier on the northern slope of Langtang Lirung in Nepal belongs to the maritime category, characterised by higher accumulation and ablation rates, warmer ice, faster movement, and greater sensitivity to climate. “A distinctive feature of maritime glaciers is the combination of high accumulation and high ablation. The catastrophic consequences of their activity are more severe than those of continental glaciers, and their frequency and intensity are also higher.
Moreover, these glaciers are located at very high altitudes, where warming is more pronounced,” said the academician. He warned that maritime glaciers are becoming increasingly unstable: “Their collapse has become the norm. As global warming advances, the frequency of such events is increasing.”
According to the World Meteorological Organization, there are more than 275,000 glaciers worldwide, but they are retreating rapidly. In response, UNESCO and the WMO proclaimed 2025 the International Year of Glacier Preservation, 2025–2034 the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences, and 21 March World Glacier Day. Yao stressed that under global warming, priorities must be strengthening research and monitoring of glaciers and glacial lakes, establishing early warning systems, and expanding international cooperation to prevent and control ice avalanches.
As reported by CCTV+, scientists are calling for urgent action at the UN level: large scale surveys, continuous monitoring and risk assessment models are needed across all spheres – from the atmosphere to the anthroposphere. The Himalayan disaster is not a local event but a global alarm. The plateau is warming twice as fast as the planet, threatening the water security of hundreds of millions in Asia.
The Chinese academician’s study is a major contribution to understanding the situation, but the final answer depends on whether the international community can move from words to joint action to monitor and protect glaciers – before the next avalanche claims more lives.
