Climate-cryosphere-water nexus: Central Asia outlook

• Main Authors: Muccione, Veruska, Huggel, Christian, Salzmann, Nadine, Fiddes, Joel, Nussbaumer, Samuel U, Novikov, Viktor, Hughes, Geoff
• Other Authors: Blue Peace Central Asia, Blue Peace Central Asia, ( ), ( )
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Zoï Environment Network 2018
• Subjects: Institute of Geography; 910 Geography & travel; permafrost
• Online Access: https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/161876/; https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/161876/1/2018_muccione2018.pdf; https://zoinet.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/FINAL-Glaciers-Leaflet.pdf; https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-161876

The three components of the cryosphere – glaciers, snow and permafrost – are all affected by climate change. Mountain communities face growing threats to infrastructure, while downstream communities face disruptions in their water supply and risks of food and energy insecurity as a consequence. In Central Asia, the cryosphere-related changes in water resources will be strongest in the second half of the century, as glaciers shrink and the extent and duration of snow declines considerably toward the end of the century.