ArrowArtboardCreated with Sketch.Title ChevronTitle ChevronIcon FacebookIcon LinkedinIcon Mail ContactPath LayerIcon MailPositive ArrowIcon Print
Opinion

Himalayan states must unite to protect mountain environment

Time for a Himalayas Council to manage and safeguard vital water supplies

| India
As global average temperatures warm, glaciers are retreating.   © Reuters

The recent photo of a snaking queue of climbers waiting to reach the top of Mount Everest worried many, suggesting the world's highest peak was becoming another tourist trap. But the heavy traffic -- and resultant ecological damage -- might be the least of the Himalayan range's troubles.

Some of the world's most populous and fast-developing countries, notably China and India, depend on the water released from the Himalayas and nearby ranges, which feeds important rivers including the Ganges, Indus, Mekong, Yangtze, Yellow, Amu Darya, Salween, Irrawaddy and Brahmaputra. The river basins they support generate $4.3 trillion in annual GDP and over 3 billion people rely on food grown there.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored Content This content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.

Nikkei Asian Review, now known as Nikkei Asia, will be the voice of the Asian Century.

Celebrate our next chapter
Free access for everyone - Sep. 30

Find out more