Jagannath Panda, and Shruti Kapil
As climate change reshapes the geopolitical landscape, the United Kingdom must recognize the Himalayan water crisis for what it is: a looming threat to global security. With its permanent seat on the UN Security Council and renewed Indo-Pacific ambitions, Britain is uniquely placed to elevate Himalayan ecological degradation from a local and regional concern to a global priority. Melting glaciers, climate-induced variability, and unregulated dam construction in the Himalayas are placing millions of lives at risk in South and Southeast Asia. This must not go unnoticed in Westminster, especially when it has been a traditional stakeholder and a historical player in the Himalayas.
The Himalayan region holds the largest reserves of fresh water outside the Arctic and Antarctic. Its glaciers feed ten of the world’s most important river systems, which sustain nearly two billion people across South and Southeast Asia. Yet, this ecological marvel is under severe threat. Climate change is accelerating glacial melt in the mountain range at an alarming pace, altering monsoon patterns, and intensifying the frequency of extreme weather events. The result is a region gripped by water stress, food insecurity, and heightened geopolitical (including boundary dispute) tensions, particularly between India and China.
Beijing has started building the world’s largest dam in Tibet, the Medog project on the Yarlung Tsangpo, a significant engineering feat if completed. But without any consultation or a water-sharing agreement, China now controls the lifeline of northeast India and parts of Bangladesh. This river flows downstream into India as the Brahmaputra and further into Bangladesh as the Jamuna, supporting millions of livelihoods.
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