Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Conclusions and Recommendations
Since continuous climate warming and the resultant permafrost thawing
and glacier recession will increase the potential danger of glacial lake
outbursts (cf. also see earlier), the UNEP RRC Inventory of Glaciers, Glacial
Lakes and Identifi cation of Potential Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, Affected
by Global Warming in the Mountains of Himalayan Region (http://www.
rrcap.ait.asia/issues/glof/) has a special section on 'Glacial Lake Outburst
Flood Monitoring and Early Warning System'. Within this initiative UNEP
through its facilities at Environment Assessment Program for Asia-Pacifi c
(EAP.AP) at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, is establishing
an operational early warning system to monitor GLOF hazards in the
Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region. EAP.AP will implement the project in
collaboration with the International Center for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD), Nepal, to mitigate the hazards of glacier lake
outburst fl ood. The project will also help in assessing the environmental
conditions of the high mountainous regions. The expected outputs of the
proposed study are (1) an inventory of existing glacier lakes along the
Hindu Kush Himalaya (2) monitoring of potential risk lakes for draining,
and (3) an operational early warning mechanism for GLOF hazards. Similar
activities are on their way in other parts of the world.
References
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