The glacier retreat associated with the increase in global warming temperature has also shown losses that are permanent and related to a sense of belonging and cultural heritage for glacier countries. The most negative livelihood impacts are experienced by poor households in the Peruvian Andes and Himalayas . The risks for smallholder livelihoods in glaciated regions are expected to increase as the shrinking glaciers result in increased water competition, crop failure and extreme flooding . For example, in Bhutan adaptive measures such as changing crops, developing irrigation channels and sharing water among community members are still insufficient to avoid L&D associated with the dramatically reduced water availability . In high-mountain regions, the intersections of agro-pastoralist marginalisation, difficulty of access and ecological sensitivity contribute to residual impacts associated with extreme climate hazards, which can lead to irreversible losses and challenge poverty reduction efforts .
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report