Yala Glacier Declared ‘Dead’ in Nepal A Local Mourning on Loss

The Yala Glacier in Nepal, once a crucial site for glaciological training and cryosphere research in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH), has now been officially declared “dead” — marking a significant and symbolic loss in the global climate crisis. On May 12, 2025, scientists, local communities, and monks gathered in Langtang, Nepal, to hold a poignant memorial for the glacier, which has retreated dramatically over recent decades. This event highlights the severe impact of global warming on Himalayan glaciers, with profound consequences for water security and ecological stability across South Asia.

Why in the news?

Nepal’s Yala Glacier in Langtang has officially been declared “dead,” making it the first glacier in Asia to receive a memorial plaque. The declaration took place on May 12, 2025, during a poignant ceremony attended by glaciologists and locals from the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. This marks a symbolic and scientific moment in the escalating climate crisis, highlighting the rapid pace of glacial retreat due to global warming.

Key Highlights and Ceremony Details

• The Yala Glacier, located in Langtang, Nepal, has lost 66% of its mass and retreated 784 meters since the 1970s.
• A plaque was installed with messages by authors Andri Snaer Magnason and Manjushree Thapa in English, Nepali, and Tibetan.
• The glacier funeral was attended by over 50 people, including monks, scientists, and locals from Nepal, India, China, and Bhutan.
• Yala Glacier is the third glacier globally to be memorialized in this way, after OK Glacier (Iceland) and Ayoloco Glacier (Mexico).

Background and Significance

• Yala Glacier has served as a training site for over 100 glaciologists and provided in-situ data for research.
• It is one of 38 glaciers with detailed measurement records and one of only 7 glaciers in the entire HKH arc with decadal monitoring.
• ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) coordinated the ceremony, emphasizing the region-wide impacts of deglaciation.

Scientific and Environmental Concerns

• Earth’s mountain glaciers have lost ~9 trillion tonnes of ice since 1975.
• CO₂ levels recorded at 426 ppm in May 2025, correlating with rising global temperatures.
• 2025 marks the third consecutive year of below-normal snow cover in the HKH region.
• Snow persistence in the Ganga basin is 24.1% below normal, the lowest in 23 years, threatening water availability.