Snow Drought on the Tibetan Plateau Could Threaten Water for 1.5 Billion People, Scientists Warn

Scientists warn of a looming water crisis on the "Asian Water Tower"

A study published in Communications Earth & Environment finds that rising global temperatures are causing earlier snowmelt and reduced snowfall across large areas of the Tibetan Plateau. These shifts have produced a recurring snow drought — seasons with unusually low snowpack compared with historical norms.

Snowpack is the layered snow that accumulates and remains frozen through winter, acting as a natural reservoir that releases meltwater during warmer months. That seasonal melt supplies vital freshwater to downstream towns, farms and cities.

Scale of the risk

The Tibetan Plateau, often called the Asian Water Tower, feeds at least 10 major river systems across Asia, including the Yangtze, Indus and Ganges. Researchers estimate that roughly 1.5 billion people rely on water that originates on the plateau. As heat-trapping pollution intensifies, events such as snow droughts are expected to become more frequent and to affect the reliability of that seasonal water supply.

Impacts and hazards

Reduced snowpack means less predictable water for drinking, irrigation and sanitation, particularly for vulnerable communities downstream. One projection cited in related research suggests that, if current trends continue, a large share of the global population could face inadequate access to clean water by 2100. Meanwhile, rapid glacier and ice melt can temporarily increase downstream flows and flood risk: analyses warn that overflowing Tibetan lakes could threaten hundreds of communities unless preventive measures are taken.

Responses and solutions

Experts say the first steps are to deepen climate monitoring on the plateau and improve data sharing so policymakers can design targeted responses. Key measures include cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, strengthening watershed and ecosystem management to retain water, improving storage and conservation, and enhancing cross-border river cooperation. Researchers are also exploring technological and supplemental options — such as seawater desalination and expanded water storage — to reduce vulnerability if mountain-fed reservoirs decline.

Source: Communications Earth & Environment study; related analyses on water access and flood risk.

Bottom line: The Tibetan Plateau's changing snow and ice dynamics pose a major, transboundary challenge for water security across Asia. Faster action on emissions, better monitoring and coordinated water management will be vital to reduce risks to hundreds of millions — and potentially to 1.5 billion — people who depend on mountain-fed rivers.