New Study Finds Mountain Regions Warming 50% Faster Than the Global Average
Globally, compared to lowlands, mountains were estimated to experience an enhanced warming of 0.21 degrees Celsius per century during 1980-2020.
A new study warns that temperatures in the world’s mountain regions — including the Himalayas — have been rising nearly 50% faster.
Than the global average since 1950, posing serious risks for more than a billion people who rely on mountain snow and glaciers for water. Published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, the research shows that compared with lowlands, mountains experienced greater warming (0.21°C per century), enhanced drying (11.5 mm per century) and faster snow loss (25.6 mm per century) between 1980 and 2020.
The international team, led by scientists from the University of Portsmouth, examined “elevation-dependent climate change” — a process where warming intensifies with altitude due to factors such as loss of snow cover, changes in surface reflectivity, humidity and aerosol pollution.
“Mountains share many characteristics with Arctic regions and are experiencing similarly rapid changes,” said lead researcher Nick Pepin. He noted that snow and ice are disappearing quickly, triggering widespread ecosystem shifts. “As you go higher into the mountains, the rate of climate change can become even more intense.”
The study stresses that vulnerability varies across ranges. Mid-altitude zones, where snowlines are steadily moving upward, are warming the fastest. Aerosols from lowland regions — including India and China — drifting onto snow and ice are further accelerating melt.
Researchers analysed global datasets and case studies from the Alps, Tibetan Plateau and High-Mountain Asia. They found consistent evidence of elevation-dependent warming at multiple timescales, with models projecting continued temperature rise of 0.13°C per century in mountain areas through the 21st century, though precipitation trends remain uncertain.
The implications are far-reaching. With glaciers retreating quickly in the Himalayas, critical water supply systems for countries including India and China face growing pressure. Shifts from snowfall to rainfall increase the risk of severe floods, while species are migrating uphill in search of cooler habitats — in some cases reaching the limits of their range.
“These changes will fundamentally reshape mountain ecosystems,” Pepin said, warning that some species may have “nowhere left to go.”
Comments are closed.