Climate change in Pindari Region, central Himalaya, India

Abstract

The impending threat due to changing climate has accentuated the vulnerability of all ecosystems. The fragile ecosystems like that of high Himalaya are most susceptible to the climate change which not only disrupts the physical processes but also has its impact on the livelihood of local people. The changes in glaciers have far-reaching impacts on the downstream ecosystems also. In order to prevent the future disastrous events, it becomes necessary to analyze the climatic variability in the region and access the associated vulnerability. The Pindari region is one such example from Himalaya which is under threat due to climate change and represents clusters of glaciers comprising the main Pindari Glacier as trunk part. Pindari Glacier is a small valley-type glacier of Kumaon Himalaya, situated at an elevation 5200 m. The study is based on the medium-resolution monthly average temperature and rainfall data obtained from the India Meteorological Department for the Pindari region from year 1901 to 2010. The results show that the annual temperature has substantially increased by around 1 °C from 1901 to 2010. All seasons in the Pindari region indicate no significant increase in rainfall. A study of data illustrates that the main trunk of the Pindari Glacier has been in a continuous state of recession during the past century.