Looking beyond glaciers to understand mountain water security

Changes in the mountain cryosphere impact the water security of downstream societies and the resilience of water-dependent ecosystems and their services. However, assessing mountain water security requires better understanding of the complex interaction between glacial meltwater and coupled human-natural systems. In this context, we call for a refocusing from glacio-hydrological monitoring and modelling to a more integrated social-ecological perspective of the wider catchment hydrology. This shift requires locally relevant knowledge-production strategies and the integration of such knowledge into a collaborative science-policy-community framework. This approach, combined with hydrological risk assessment, can support the development of robust, locally tailored and transformational adaptation strategies. Moving from a glacial-hydrological focus to a social-ecological perspective of the wider catchment hydrology can improve the assessment of mountain water security. Such a shift can help in the development of context-specific and transformational adaptation strategies to changes in the mountain cryosphere.

Automated summary

Changes in the mountain cryosphere have significant impacts on downstream water security and water-dependent ecosystems. To better assess mountain water security, it is necessary to understand the complex interaction between glacial meltwater and human-natural systems. This requires a shift towards a more integrated social-ecological perspective and the integration of locally relevant knowledge into a collaborative science-policy-community framework. This approach, combined with hydrological risk assessment, can support the development of tailored and transformational adaptation strategies.