Source: Asia Development Bank
Pakistan has 13,032 glaciers covering over 13,500 square kilometers—the highest number of dryland glaciers in Asia. These feed the Indus River, which supports Pakistan’s farmland, energy needs, and drinking water. No other major river relies more heavily on glacier melt, and no country depends more on such a river than Pakistan. The stakes are high: glacier loss could undermine food and energy security for millions, especially in downstream areas like Sindh.
Italy’s role began over a century ago with early scientific expeditions to the Karakoram Mountains. The 1909 journey of Duke of Abruzzi Roberto Lerco and the 1929 expedition by Duke of Spoleto Prince Aimone with geologist Ardito Desio laid scientific groundwork by documenting terrain, glaciers, and local cultures. While these missions had exploration in mind—culminating in the 1954 Italian ascent of K2—their contributions, including detailed maps and glaciological surveys, remain invaluable today.
In the 1980s, Desio partnered with climber Agostino Da Polenza to establish EvK2CNR, which pioneered high-altitude research across the Himalayas and Karakorum. This led to the 1990 creation of the Pyramid Observatory—a high-altitude scientific laboratory located 16,568 feet above sea level in Nepal’s Khumbu Valley. Hosting nearly 600 scientific missions, it is a hub for studies on mountain ecosystems, glaciers, biodiversity, climate, and protected areas.
Through EvK2CNR and partnerships with the United Nations Development Programme, Pakistani universities, and research institutions, Italy launched pioneering glacier initiatives—including the country’s most detailed glacier inventory, documenting 13,032 glaciers across 13,546.93 square kilometers. Using UAVs, satellites, remote sensing, and ground surveys, Italian scientists produced geo-tagged inventories and advanced glacier melt modeling—tools essential for predicting future water supplies.