Russia's endangered Lake Baikal - 29 Jul 08

Two women have dedicated their lives to protecting Russia's Lake Baikal, their research proves that the lake is warming at a rate three times faster than the air.

Their mission is to find new life forms and preserve existing ones.

Located in south west Siberia, the lake contains 20 percent of the Earth's fresh water and is being severely affected by global warming.

Al Jazeera's Jonah Hull reports.

Category:

News & Politics

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• hull
• al
• jazeera
• english
• russia
• lake
• baikal
• siberia
• global
• warming

[rusjc]

Thank you for all your care and concern. What happens there concerns the whole world. I have been to Russia but not yet seen this wonderful lake. Thanks for this opportunity to see it without actually being there.

All the best to all your collegues.

[fanofbond06]

you're a libertarian i take it?

[Antofffka]

interesting. Thank you

[GrrlGrowler]

My ancestors of the Han dynasty and the Xiongnu confereration fought each other at the Lake Baikal region around 119BC in western Han period.. I hope the colonists in Siberia don't industrialize and pollute this natural marvel like the Mississippi for the native Americans and Americans in general.

[achmundo]

al jazeera is a decent channel now, good report

[KlutchZA]

There is a lot of seismic activity in the region. The warming may be blamed on the volcanic aspect.

[3swelldogs]

I'm not saying it's not possible...I'm sure that man kind has caused quite a few changes. We may very well be the most destructive force it's ever seen.

[samten54]

The poles are melting and so are many of the worlds glaciers. The world has had big changes before but we 'might' have caused this one.

[3swelldogs]

yeah...but it's saying 20% of the water...I just feel that it's probably more likely that it's something under the water as opposed to above it. Also I've seen scientists say things and then later change their minds...lol...what appears to be an exact science isn't always an exact science.

[samten54]

Global warming is changing weather patterns. In some places there can be less cloud cover than previous. Sunlight on water warms the water and it does not loose that heat as quickly as the atmosphere particularly without cloud cover. Temperature for the people living in the area might feel about the same but the lake will be slowly warming up.

[3swelldogs]

well we know that al gores theory isn't quite right anymore they just came out with new information on his crap...so he was partly wrong for sure. personally I think for this kind of thing to happen to that degree that something is going on below the water. you see global warming wouldn't bring it up to that temperature already.