The United Nations’ theme for World Water Day this year is glacier preservation — an important reminder of the need to safeguard glaciers as vital freshwater sources. As global temperatures rise, glaciers are melting faster than ever, disrupting the water cycle and causing unpredictable changes in meltwater flow. These shifts lead to floods, droughts, landslides, and rising sea levels, putting millions of people and ecosystems at risk.
Among the world’s most critical freshwater systems is the Karnali, one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the Himalayas and the last of the big rivers in Nepal without dams. It stands as a powerful symbol of ecological and cultural significance, but this lifeline is now facing unprecedented threats from global warming and ongoing hydropower development pressures. To protect these essential water sources, we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage meltwater more sustainably.
More than just a river, the Karnali is a cornerstone of a vibrant ecosystem and the livelihoods and culture of the Indigenous communities that have called its banks home for generations. Originating from the glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau, specifically the Karnali Glacier in the Kailash Range, it begins near Lake Mansarovar, close to the sacred Mount Kailash. The river’s flow is sustained by a delicate balance of glacial meltwater, snowmelt, and seasonal rainfall. It provides sustenance for millions, supports a rich tapestry of biodiversity, fuels local economies through its immense ecotourism potential, and serves as an important route to the sacred Mt. Kailash.
This powerful combination of natural forces shapes both the river’s ecosystem and the communities that depend on it, making the Karnali a vital force in both nature and human life.
This river brings life to one of the most diverse ecological gradients on Earth, providing habitat for a remarkable array of flora, fauna, and aquatic life, including numerous endangered and endemic species. Teeming with life, the Karnali supports populations of Ganges River dolphins, crocodiles, Bengal tigers, and the golden mahseer — a fish that drives both sport and subsistence fishing and is a critical component of the local economy. This biodiversity is a testament to the river’s health and the importance of its free-flowing nature.
The Karnali River’s rich wildlife and stunning natural beauty hold immense potential for driving local economies through ecotourism. As one of the top five rivers in the world for whitewater rafting and kayaking, it attracts adventure seekers from around the world. The region is home to a range of national parks, offering world-class recreational opportunities for trekkers, sport fishers, whitewater enthusiasts, and wildlife lovers. The growing popularity of this region highlights the economic value of preserving the river’s free-flowing state, showing that conservation and economic development can go hand in hand.
However, the Karnali River, along with the communities and livelihoods it supports, faces increasing threats from climate-change-driven degradation and proposed hydropower developments. Currently, the river is under threat from three proposed hydropower projects. The destructive impacts of such projects are well documented, from displacing local communities to disrupting vital economic activities like fisheries. Even a single project could have disastrous upstream and downstream effects, harming wildlife habitats, biodiversity, community health, and recreational opportunities by blocking the river’s flow, sediment transport, and fish migration.
With entire ecosystems and critical species like the golden mahseer at risk, the cultural practices and livelihoods of local communities are also jeopardized. The very essence of the Karnali — its free-flowing nature that sustains life — is under attack.
In Nepal, Karnali River Waterkeeper, Waterkeeper Alliance, and the Nepal Rivers Conservation Trust are spearheading a campaign to oppose the three hydropower projects and conserve the Karnali. This campaign, which has garnered support from thousands of impacted community members, builds on growing legal efforts to defend the right to a healthy environment.
Advocates are calling on the Nepalese government to develop a comprehensive conservation roadmap, including the establishment of an Eco-Tourism Center to promote sustainable economic activities and a youth training program to foster future conservation leaders. Taking action to protect this region would align with the government’s strategic framework for the Nepal Tourism Decade 2023-2032. It could follow in the footsteps of Costa Rica, which protected much of its forests and rivers and is now synonymous with nature-based tourism, representing nearly 13% of its Gross Domestic Product (pre-pandemic) and its largest source of foreign exchange.
There is no question that transitioning to clean and renewable energy sources is essential to addressing the global climate crisis. Although hydropower is often promoted as a clean energy source, it is, in reality, a false solution to climate change and should not be considered a sustainable or climate-friendly option.
Hydroelectric dams and their reservoirs create tremendous amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and negatively impact biodiversity, Indigenous communities, river-based livelihoods, and wildlife habitats. Large-scale hydropower projects disrupt ecosystems, block fish migration, and displace communities. While hydropower can provide reliable energy, it often comes at the expense of the very natural systems that we depend on for survival.
There are several clean energy alternatives to hydropower that can help meet global energy needs while reducing environmental impact and mitigating climate change. These alternatives — such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydrogen — produce little or no greenhouse gas emissions and have far less destructive effects on ecosystems and communities. However, no energy source is without its challenges. These renewable energy technologies each have their own limitations, whether in terms of intermittency, land use, resource availability, or infrastructure needs. Despite these imperfections, they offer cleaner, more sustainable ways to generate power without compromising the health of vital ecosystems or displacing communities that depend on them.
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Free-flowing rivers, on the other hand, protect biodiversity, promote ecological and climate resilience, and sustain essential food sources and economic livelihoods. They preserve ancient, place-based cultures that, unlike modern dominant cultures, provide for the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
In a world where free-flowing rivers are becoming increasingly rare, we must prioritize their protection. We call for a global halt on all new dam construction, prioritization of dam removal where feasible, and robust mitigation for the damage done by those facilities we cannot yet remove. The Karnali, with its vital role in sustaining life, is too precious to lose.
It is critical that we take action to protect these ecosystems in their entirety, from their glacier life source to the diverse ecosystems that span vast landscapes and communities. The actions of the Nepalese government to recognize the irreplaceable ecological and cultural value of maintaining the free flow of the Karnali River are essential to ensuring the region’s ecosystems remain intact and allowing local ecotourism economies the opportunity to grow.
National action to protect the Karnali from destructive development, combined with global climate action to safeguard the glaciers that feed it, is more urgent than ever. On this World Water Day, let us commit to preserving this vital waterway and ensuring a sustainable future for the Karnali River and the communities that depend on it. By safeguarding the river, we ensure it continues to flow freely, supporting livelihoods, public health, and access to safe drinking water for millions of families.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — In the Cover Photo: Flowing freely through Nepal’s rugged landscapes, the glacier-fed Karnali River stands as one of the world’s longest undammed rivers, a crucial lifeline for local ecosystems and communities threatened by hydroelectric development. Cover Photo Credit: Sagar Khanal / Shutterstock.
