Loss of 16% of Kyrgyzstan’s Glaciers Over 56 Years
Bishkek – 24.kg news agency reported that at least 16 percent of glaciers in Kyrgyzstan disappeared from 1970 to 2016. The Secretary of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan, Marat Imankulov, shared this information at an international conference titled “Hydro resource deficit in Central Asia: Ways to solve water problems at the regional and international levels.”
Imankulov mentioned that the data he presented was until 2016, as there has been no update since then. Efforts are currently underway to update the data and gather more accurate information regarding the state of glaciers in Kyrgyzstan.
In the years 2013-2016, there were a total of 9,957 glaciers in Kyrgyzstan with a combined area of 6,683 square kilometers. This is a significant decrease compared to the numbers from 1940-1970 when there were 8,166 glaciers covering 7,945 square kilometers of the country’s territory.
These findings highlight the alarming rate at which glaciers in Kyrgyzstan are disappearing, emphasizing the importance of addressing environmental issues and climate change to protect these vital water resources. Further research and action are needed to ensure the preservation of glaciers for future generations in the region.
