High Mountain Asia losing 24 billion tonnes of groundwater annually

Groundwater reserves across High Mountain Asia are depleting at an alarming rate of 24 billion tonnes per year. The crisis is driven by a combination of climate change impacts and excessive human water consumption. Agricultural irrigation demands in lower basin regions are significantly worsening the rate of groundwater storage loss. While accelerating glacier melt may temporarily offset some of the depletion, experts warn this relief will be short-lived. If current usage trends continue unchecked, projections indicate the depletion will accelerate sharply once glacial sources diminish.