ADB Initiative to Help Pakistan Preserve Glaciers
ADB's $3.5 billion "Glacier to Farms" program addresses melting glaciers' impacts in South Asia, focusing on water security, agriculture, and flood mitigation.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has unveiled the transformative "Glacier to Farms" program to combat the adverse effects of melting glaciers in Central and South Asia, including Pakistan. This ambitious initiative seeks to secure $3.5 billion in funding from ADB, the Green Climate Fund, national governments, development partners, and private sector contributors.
The program addresses critical challenges:
- Melting glaciers and altered snowfall patterns reduce water availability.
- Shrinking glaciers limit water flow, affecting agriculture and worsening water shortages.
- Increased glacial runoff elevates the risk of downstream flooding.
ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa, along with environment officials from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, signed a declaration backing the initiative. Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Georgia's Minister for Economy and Sustainable Development, Genadi Arveladze, were also present at the COP29 side event where the program was launched.
An ADB report forecasts that water flows from the Hindu Kush Himalayas will peak by 2050 before declining, posing grave risks to ecosystems, agriculture, and industries like hydropower. While increased runoff may heighten flood risks, diminished water supply threatens food security for millions.
This initiative underscores the urgency of coordinated action to protect the environment, ensure sustainable water management, and safeguard livelihoods across the region.
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