The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will allocate $3.5 billion over the next seven years to protect water resources and agriculture, ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said at a ministerial meeting on "Climate Change and Regional Cooperation to Prevent Glacier Melting in Central and West Asia" during COP29, Report informs.
He noted that millions of people in Central and West Asia are already experiencing the negative impacts of glacier melting: "Glaciers that feed vital rivers are melting rapidly. Over the past 30 years, 25% of glacier mass has been lost in Asia's high mountain regions. Even a 1.5°C temperature rise could lead to the disappearance of half of the world's glaciers. But today we are taking an important step forward with the launch of the G2F (Glacier to Farming) program. This program will strengthen measures to protect glaciers, ensure sustainable water resource management, and provide social support to vulnerable communities."