FROM the towering snowy peaks of the Himalayas to the rugged expanse of the Tianshan Mountains, glaciers melted at an unprecedented rate across Asia in 2024, the hottest year on record.
If glacier retreat continues at this alarming speed, experts predict that at least half of the world’s glaciers will be completely lost by 2100, and the consequences of this will be dire.
Accelerated glacier melt is already contributing to water shortages and destructive floods or typhoons in neighbouring regions. In the long run, it will become a major cause of global water stress, with far-reaching consequences for the Earth’s water cycle and supply.
Against this backdrop, this year’s World Water Day theme, “Glacier Preservation”, is not just a call to action; it is a stark reminder that glacier melt is not only a symptom of climate change – it is a harbinger of a more profound and pervasive global water crisis.
Ultimately, the fate of the glaciers is tied to our progress with global water security and climate change. Coordinated and collaborative international action that builds on a firm understanding of these interconnected issues and equally prioritises the water crisis is the only way toward glacier preservation.
Symbiotic relationship between water and climate change
To fully understand the water crisis, we must first recognise its deep interconnection with the climate, where global temperature shifts disrupt water cycles around the world and vice versa.
Glacier melts, for instance, starkly illustrate this link. Their rapid retreat due to rising temperatures depletes critical freshwater reserves, significantly impacting communities that rely on them for agriculture and drinking water.
Excess meltwater also fuels rising sea levels, endangering coastal communities and intensifying extreme weather events like droughts and floods.
Southeast Asia is expected to be particularly affected by such disasters, given that about 450 million people in the region live in low-elevation coastal zones. Marine environment experts warn that low-lying areas in Malaysia, such as Penang and Kedah, may be fully submerged within a decade due to glacier melt if immediate action is not taken.
Conversely, inefficient or poor water management practices can worsen the climate crisis, especially given the increasingly energy-intensive nature of processes like the extraction, purification and desalination of water. Without a shift toward sustainable water management that recognises the role and impact of water in shaping climate progress, we risk intensifying the very crisis we are trying to solve.
Dangers of employing short-sighted approach
Though the global water crisis demands a unified and collaborative response, it is still treated as a series of isolated, local issues.
Unlike carbon emissions, which impact a shared atmosphere, water crises manifest within specific regions, shaped by local geographies and climates, making them seem disconnected. This has led to a fragmented approach, where water challenges are addressed in silos rather than as part of an interconnected global system.
This narrow perspective overlooks a critical truth: the global water cycle is deeply influenced by international factors. Glacier melt in the Himalayas does not just affect nearby communities – it disrupts weather patterns, water supplies and ecosystems thousands of miles away.
Similarly, unsustainable water management in one region can exacerbate climate-driven disasters elsewhere, creating a ripple effect across borders. Viewing water crises as localised problems is not just shortsighted but also counter-productive. It prevents the development of a unified global framework capable of driving collective action.
Without such a framework, efforts to scale innovative solutions, such as circular water systems or advanced desalination technologies, remain scattered and inefficient.
Learning from climate policies to drive action
Effective climate action has shown that no single policy – whether regulation, subsidy or market mechanism – can drive systemic change alone.
The most successful strategies, as highlighted by the Potsdam Institute and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, combine complementary policies to accelerate impact.
Yet, while global climate governance has advanced through global frameworks like the Paris Agreement, water policy remains largely fragmented and managed at the national level, lacking the same level of coordination and urgency.
The water sector has an opportunity to learn from climate policy successes by fostering cross-sector collaboration, multilevel governance and inclusive policy design. Just as climate policies have integrated energy, transport and industry to reduce emissions, water policies could align efforts across agriculture, urban planning and ecosystem conservation to drive meaningful impact.
Additionally, ensuring that water policies are seen as fair and equitable, particularly in regions with competing water demands, will be critical for securing public and political support.
Making the business case for water
Despite its clear economic and risk implications, the business case for water remains under-communicated. A CDP study found that financial institutions face potential water-related losses of up to US$301 billion (RM1.33 trillion), yet only a third of them have concrete mitigation strategies.
Stronger and more consistent communication from water experts in academic and business communities is needed to emphasise the importance of risk avoidance.
Beyond risk mitigation, there needs to be compelling evidence of the social and economic value that can be unlocked through improved water management practices. A shift in mindset is essential. Water must be recognised as a strategic asset.
Collaboration: Key to scaling impact
The last but most vital piece of the water crisis puzzle is collaboration. Water challenges transcend borders, impacting ecosystems, economies and communities worldwide.
To drive meaningful progress, we must share solutions, resources and expertise across industries, sectors and geographies.
C40 Cities is a strong example of how collaboration can scale impact. By providing a platform for city leaders, experts and businesses to exchange best practices, it accelerates solutions across key areas, including water resilience, climate adaptation and sustainable urban planning.
The Water Resilience Coalition is another example of uniting global companies and CEOs to prioritise water stress and its connection to climate change, bringing these issues to the forefront of the global corporate agenda.
Collaboration is also effective on a national level, as illustrated by the water agreement between Singapore and Malaysia. In return for its reliance on imported water from Malaysia, Singapore has developed cutting-edge water technologies that can improve water management practices in Johor – a partnership that holistically addresses the region’s water challenges. The urgency of the climate and water crises cannot be overstated.
Just a mere decade following the signing of the Paris Agreement, studies are showing that we may have already broken our promise to ideally cap the global average temperature by 1.5°C.
If we continue on this trajectory, the accelerated melting of glaciers will not just be an environmental warning but a tipping point for global water security.
The era of fragmented solutions is over. To safeguard the world’s future, there is no other option but for water to take centre stage.
Astrid Norgaard Friis is the head of group sustainability, external relations and communications, and group vice president of Grundfos. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
