Ladakh’s Ice Stupa Project | earthrise

Some scientists predict that global warming could leave much of the Himalayas ice-free by the end of the century. As glaciers disappear, so too does the freshwater on which one billion people depend.

The farmers of Ladakh are on the front line. But local engineer Sonam Wangchuk has developed an ingenious solution – tall ice sculptures that gradually melt and release winter meltwater in the spring, when it is needed for crops.