The Ganges River is drying faster than ever – here's what it means for the region and the world

The Ganges is more than a river. It is a lifeline, a sacred symbol, and a cornerstone of South Asian civilisation. But it is drying faster than ever before, and the consequences of inaction are unthinkable. The time for warnings has passed. We must act now to ensure the Ganges continues to flow – not just for us, but for generations to come.

- BY MEHEBUB SAHANA

History: Climate change, shifting mon- soon patterns, deforestation and damming are pushing the mighty river towards an environmental tipping point; food, water and livelihoods across the region are threatened. The Ganges River supports over 500 million people, a quarter of India's population, and is central to its food and economic value. Yet now scientists are warning that the river is accelerating beyond anything seen in recorded history. In a few study scientists recom- mend that 1,500-year-old structures, 1,500 years ago show that the basin was once a flood plain, and that the river shifted in the last few decades. Stretches of river that once support- ed large boats are now completely impassable in summer. Large boats

The Ganges, a lifeline for hundreds of millions across South Asia, is drying at a rate scientists say is unprecedented in recorded history. Climate change, shifting monsoons, relentless extraction and damming are pushing the mighty river towards collapse, with consequences for food, water and livelihoods across the region.

For centuries, the Ganges and its tributaries have sustained one of the world’s most densely populated regions. Stretching from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, the whole river basin supports over 650 million people, a quarter of India’s freshwater, and much of its food and economic value. Yet new research reveals the river's decline is accelerating beyond anything seen in recorded history.

In recent decades, scientists have documented alarming transformations across many of the world’s big rivers, but the Ganges stands apart for its speed and scale.