Focus on Arts and Ecology

A new study produced by Greenpeace and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, shows that climate change is catalysing glacial disasters in some of the headwaters of Asia’s largest rivers, reports Caixin. In October, glacial melt spurred ice avalanches that blocked the Yarlung Zangbo River, forcing 20,000 people to evacuate. This is just one of many recent events. With increasing frequency, glacial melt has caused lakes to form, which then burst, resulting in major downstream flooding. China’s second glacial survey showed that 82% of China’s glaciers have retreated since the 1950s and their area has been reduced by 18%. The trend has accelerated since the 1990s. The Qinghai-Tibetan plateau where many of the glaciers are located is warming at twice the the global average rate. Glacial melt has already affected water availability in downstream areas. The report says that by 2040, glaciers could reach peak water volume after melting, with severe water scarcity expected to follow.