Climate Change Threatens Tibet Glaciers

The glaciers on China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are quickly disappearing.

As a result of climate change, more than 100 square miles have vanished over the past 40 years, according to Chinas state-run media.

Liu Faming has been working at the ecosystem observation station on the plateau's Gongga Mountain for 15 years.

His daily work is collecting data on air temperature, humidity, wind force, rainfall and the earth's temperature.

[Liu Faming, Mt. Gongga Ecosystem Observation Station]: (male, Chinese)
"The temperature has gone up in recent years. It is getting warmer and warmer. It used to be really cold in the mountains, but it's very warm now. The glaciers are retreating."

Gongga Mountain stands almost 25-thousand feet above sea level, while Hailuogou Glacier, the biggest on the mountain, has become a hot tourist destination.

A cable car ride takes curious tourists to an ice fall every day, but for locals like Wang Jun, its beauty has changed over time.

[Wang Jun, Villager]: (male, mandarin)
"The city gate-shaped part of the glacier is gone. The glaciers are melting slowly day by day. The weather has changed a lot. The temperature remains more or less the same throughout the year. It is not cold in winter anymore. There used to be a lot of ice in winter, but not any more."

Scientists from China's Institute of Sciences say the Hailuogou glacier has receded by 20 meters on average every year since 1990, with the speed accelerating in recent years.

China has overtaken the U.S. as the world's top emitter of human-generated greenhouse gases, with eyes on how it will address eco-policy ahead.




A United Nations climate report released in 2007 suggested action by China and other nations may be essential, with Himalayan glaciers possibly disappearing by the year 2035 or even earlier.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• NTD
• NTDTV
• Climate change
• Tibet
• Glaciers
• China
• Greenhous gases
• United Nation
• Hailuogou
• Gongga Mountain

[GaiusIuliusTaberna]

Last time I checked the main argument behind man made climate change would be that the burning of billions of tons of fossil fuels since the industrial revolution would have some effect on the climate, likely in the form of warming. I don't think that's a terribly incredible conclusion.

The fact that countries are literally sinking just makes it that much more credible.

[Gawndoggin]

How do the Tibetan people feel about that?

[theMETALDOVE]

@GaiusIuliusTaberna

the glaciers at tibet having been melting for the last 100 years. of course the climate changes that[s not in dispute, what cow farts and our breathing have to do with this, that[s the dispute.

[CrimesonWitcher]

@Gawndoggin well china has been bullying Tibet for years and kinda took over at one point.

[spiritbreakerz]

@Gawndoggin

They were part of china for centuries....

[Gawndoggin]

Ex cuse me but how the @@@@ is Tibet some part of China??

[GaiusIuliusTaberna]

And I suppose Tibet's glaciers aren't dissappearing...

[joggylol]

Climgate, Global warming the biggest scandal in the world

[snowstorm9091moua]

Global warming was changed to "climate change" because they couldnt prove it's existence.

[screwopenborders]

Blaming humans I see. Lets see temperature history not just your word for it.