Nepal's Yala Glacier Declared 'Dead' Amid Climate Crisis
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Yala Glacier in Nepal declared "dead" |
| Date | May 12, 2025 |
| Location | Langtang, Nepal |
| Key Figures | Scientists, local communities, monks, ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) |
| Memorial Plaque | Messages by Andri Snaer Magnason and Manjushree Thapa in English, Nepali, and Tibetan |
| Global Context | Third glacier globally to be memorialized (after OK Glacier in Iceland and Ayoloco Glacier in Mexico) |
| Mass Loss | 66% of its mass lost since the 1970s |
| Retreat | 784 meters retreated since the 1970s |
| Scientific Role | Training site for over 100 glaciologists; in-situ data provider |
| Monitoring | One of 7 glaciers in HKH with decadal monitoring |
| Environmental Impact | 9 trillion tonnes of ice lost globally since 1975 |
| CO₂ Levels | 426 ppm recorded in May 2025 |
| Snow Cover | Third consecutive year of below-normal snow cover in HKH |
| Snow Persistence | 24.1% below normal in the Ganga basin, lowest in 23 years |